What's Left Of Us
by BarnCat23
Summary: Jade was a Reaper. She escaped the brutality of her people and befriended Lincoln when she was young. Now, after being away for several weeks, Jade comes back to the cave to find nothing is how it used to be. Can she help Lincoln rescue his friends from the Mountain Men before it's too late and escape the inevitable fate of the treachery of dishonoring her people? Set after 1X13.
1. 1 Homecoming

I trekked through the forest area, on my way back from the coast. I'd stayed longer than I intended to. The trip was only supposed to take three, four days tops. But I stayed several days longer because I was told to "not bother coming back". My lifelong friend, Lincoln, told me not to bother coming home. And I have nowhere else to go. It may seem pathetic, crawling back like an apologetic child, but what choice do I have? I was only about ten yards from Lincoln's cave when I heard voices. And not familiar ones, either. I dropped my pack in the bushes and looked for the nearest branch. I leapt up, my fingers wrapping around a wobbling Fir Tree branch, and pulled myself up.

I twisted around the back side of the tree and watched, waiting for the owners of the voices to show themselves. And they did. Two men, young and both dark haired in mangled clothes that looked nothing like what I was used to seeing around this area, were walking toward Lincoln's cave. "What are we gonna do, Bellamy? They have Clarke, Raven, everyone," one of them said. The other, the one that was called 'Bellamy', sighed in an irritated way and kept walking. They didn't notice me. I waited until they were just past me and then I slid from the tree. I unsheathed my knife and grabbed the one that spoke. I wrapped my arm around his neck, holding the knife inches from his neck.

Bellamy spun and stared at me in utter shock and I fought the urge to smile. "Easy, easy," the one I held said. "We don't want any trouble. We're here to see Lincoln."

"Jade," I had no trouble recognizing my name and the man that voiced it. Lincoln stood just outside the cave. His expression was cautioned; like he expected me to kill the stranger I had in my clutches, like he didn't know me at all. "Jade," once again my name rolled off his tongue and I let the stranger go. I sheathed my knife on my outer thigh and went for my pack that I left in the bushes. I slung it on my shoulder and turned back toward Lincoln and the two strangers. "Go inside," Lincoln told the two. "I'll be in soon." Bellamy went inside without a care but the second was hesitant, glancing between Lincoln and i. But he went inside the cave. "I didn't expect to see you again. At least…not so soon," Lincoln said. "I'm sorry for what I said to you, Jade."

"And that makes it go away? Just because you're sorry?" I asked.

"No, it doesn't. But I need your help."

"Are you kidding me? Help with what?"

"Come inside and I'll explain." I felt like an idiot for following him inside, but I did anyway. Inside, the two strangers were now accompanied by a third, a girl about my height with long dark hair. I dropped my pack near the door, where I always had, and stood up straight. "Who are they?" I asked Lincoln, thrusting my chin in the strangers' direction. As Lincoln spoke, I noticed the girl was injured. She had a makeshift bandage on her right thigh and it appeared that the wound was bleeding through the bandage. "This is Finn," he gestured toward the man I'd held a knife to, then to the other two. "Bellamy and Octavia." Octavia…why hadn't I recognized her? It was the stranger that Lincoln seemed obsessed with before I left.

"What's your name?" the one called Finn asked. He said the words awkwardly, like he was trying to forget I had just held a knife to his throat. "Jade." simple. Four letters. The wounded girl, Octavia, was barely standing with her bleeding leg. "It took you only a few days to forget everything I told you about a plant's medicinal uses," I said to Lincoln, as I went to my pack. I opened the top flap and started rummaging through it for my medicinal plants. "I think the arrow hit some kind of artery," Octavia said.

"In that part of your leg it wouldn't be an artery," I sat back on my heels and glanced up at Octavia, who now stood behind me. "How far did it go in?"

"A bit more than half way." I turned back to my pack and continued rummaging. "Sit," I ordered. She eased down to sit against the wall to my right and winced when she was all the way down. "How much blood has she lost?"

"About a cup," Lincoln answered. He knelt and started unwrapping the bandage on Octavia's leg. I finally found my leather pouch of leaves and assorted plants and knelt beside Octavia on her right. One look at the wound told me that what I was about to do would hurt. A lot. "Finn, I need the sewing kit from my pack," I said. Then I looked at Lincoln across Octavia. "I need to force the crushed leaves into the wound and then sew it shut." He nodded and Finn handed me my sewing kit from over my shoulder. I took the leather pouch and pulled it open. "This is going to hurt, isn't it?" Octavia said, looking at me. I didn't answer. I got the small piece of metal that couldn't even be really called a needle ready with some thread and poured some crushed leaves into my palm.

I counted to three aloud just to give everyone some warning and then forced the leaves into the wound. Octavia barely screamed but she squirmed a bit, making it hard to sew the skin together quickly. Once I had it sewn shut, I bandaged her leg properly, unlike the pitiful bandage Lincoln had on it. "Where'd you learn to do that?" Finn asked. The question wasn't much but it brought me back to a time in my life before I had met Lincoln, back when I was with my people.

(Flashback; Narrator's POV)

_A barely four foot tall girl with maroon curls that were jaggedly cut above her shoulders stood in a dark cavern. Also in the cavern was a table of sorts with a body covered in cloth laying atop it. The body shook under the cloth and the girl tried not to look. A tall woman with black hair tied behind her back came into the small cavern and walked straight to the body. She pulled the cloth back to reveal the top half of the body. The woman twisted to look at the girl and held out a hand to her. "Come here, Jade," the woman said, her voice smooth and silky and calm. _

(Present; Jade's POV)

"_Jade…"_ I could hear my mother's voice, saying my name, as an echo in my mind. _"Jade…Jade," _it was like her voice was the only thing I could here. But then I realized Lincoln was saying my name, not my mother, and I snapped out of my head. He gave me a knowing look and kept silent. I put my sewing kit and medicinal plants back in my pack as I spoke. "My mother was a healer. She taught me everything she knew," I finally answered Finn's question. As I dug in my pack I said, "So who's Clarke? You guys seem pretty concerned about whoever it is."

"She's…she's a friend of ours that was taken," Finn said.

"Their people were taken by Mountain Men," Lincoln said. I went rigid and slowly stood, then turned toward the strangers. "You are all such idiots!" I said. "They could have followed all of you here! And I doubt you checked to make sure you weren't followed." Finn and Bellamy glanced at each other, both seemingly unsettled by my current mood. Lincoln too stood just in case I tried to harm one of the two men. "Stay here," I said, forcefully. I walked outside and slipped around the backside of the cave opening. I pulled my knife from it's sheath and held the blade between my teeth. I started climbing up the rough bark of the nearest tree. I saw someone come out of the cave out of the corner of my eye just as I got about ten feet up. I swung my leg over a thick branch and straddled it for a second before pulling myself farther up to stand.

I view from the branch wasn't bad but it wasn't all that great either. But I spotted one of the Mountain Men. He looked to be completely alone. I pulled my knife from my teeth and wound back my arm. I threw it with enough force that it flew all the way to the man and lodged itself into his masked skull. He went down and no others came forward or made themselves known so I grabbed the branch below me and slid off so that I dangled. I let go and latched onto the nearest branch below me. I did this until I found myself on the last branch. I swung a little and then vaulted off the branch, landing on solid ground on my feet. I walked past Lincoln and Finn at the opening of the cave and kept walking to the dead Mountain Man. I pulled the knife from his skull and wiped the blood off on my dark leather pants.

I dragged the body away and covered it with leaves and things and then walked back to the cave. I stopped a few feet from Lincoln and Finn. I slid my knife back into it's sheath and Finn glanced at Lincoln with an expression I couldn't read. "I think she'll do," he said, quietly. Do for what, I didn't know. But I was going to find out.


	2. 3 What's Safest

Finn didn't know I'd heard him, but Lincoln did. After all, he was the one that trained me to be who I am. "I'll do for what?" I asked.

"We need help getting our friends back-" Finn said.

"No," I interjected. "If they're in Mount Weather then the answer is 'no'. I'm sorry about your friends but I can't help you." I brushed past them and walked into the cave. I grabbed my pack and slung it over my shoulder as I left. "Where are you going?" Lincoln asked, threatening to stop my forward motion. I cut around him without answering and pulled a small metal shape from my pocket. "Jade," I put the metal piece to my lips and blew into a small circular hole at it's tip, creating a silent noise, only audible by my favorite animal. After a solid blow I hid the object away. "You need help and obviously it's not me because I am not going back into Mount weather," I answered, with my back turned. Lincoln stepped in front of me and began to speak but Finn cut him off. "Wait. Go 'back'? You've been in there before?"

"Once, years ago," I said. I heard a light pounding of four short beats getting louder by the second until I glanced over Lincoln's shoulder and spotted my ride—a tall, jet black horse with a pink, fish-like face. I named him Dakota for some reason when I was much smaller and it just stuck. He bounded forward and slid to a stop before running into Lincoln and i. he whinnied, a short and alarmed noise, and then turned. His feet moved like he was walking on hot coals or as if he was dancing. I moved past Lincoln and swung up onto his saddle. "Jade, please," Lincoln said. "We need you. _I_ need you." for a split second I thought about staying. But I ignored the thought.

I urged Dakota on and he sprung into a fast pace as he turned to ride the opposite direction. Lincoln and his friends could do it without me. And if there was one thing I knew, it was that Mount Weather was not the place I wanted to be.

(Flashback; Narrator's POV)

_A girl with maroon curls, now at a taller height, lay unconsciously on a white hospital like bed. Needles were sunken into both arms, injecting different colored liquids into her veins and skin. A small, clear mask was strapped to her face to help her breath in through her mouth and nostrils. Th girl's dark gown had a perfectly cut square missing in the abdominal area. Her abdomen was cut open into a deep crevasse in which whoever looked could see all that was inside. Yet somehow the girl was still breathing normally. _

(Present; Jade's POV)

I didn't have anywhere to go where normal people from the clans lived. Not that my misfit friends weren't normal. They just were…odd, to say the least. My three friends, Gazelle, Enzo, and Yanis lived in a cache of tree houses a few miles from Lincoln's cave. I stayed with them on my way to and from the coast when I was in the area. Enzo was standing watch at the base of a tree that marked the beginning of the maze of tree houses up above. He smiled when he saw me and I halted Dakota a few feet from him. "Didn't go as planned?" he asked, as I slid off Dakota's back. I gave Dakota a light smack on the hind quarters and he went galloping away. "Not exactly, no."

"Well, hey, on the bright side, we added a new tree house. And this one's all yours," Enzo gushed, as he started climbing up the tree in which he stood by.

"For me?" I asked. I waited for him to get high enough up and then started climbing up the rough bark. Everyone few minutes I checked to make sure we were still alone. We got about fifteen feet up before he answered, still roughly ten feet from the house. "Well, Gazelle figured you might be back. And if you did come back, you'd need a place to sleep," he said. We finally made it all the way up to a large wooden platform wedged between multiple trees. It creaked as Enzo climbed onto it and it creaked as I followed suit. Every step across the wood made you feel as if you were walking on air, and at the same time it was like you were going to fall through.

Enzo led me to a four way rope bridge. The bridge's four direction led off to other tree houses. We went far off to the left, across the longest bridge they had built up in the air. They were such great engineers for what they had to work with. I've always admired them for their works. Enzo led across the bridge and into a medium sized wooden, gazebo style room. it was open on all sides with a floor and ceiling. And of course there was a small four foot tall railings to keep you from falling off while you slept. It was greatly camouflaged in the trees but I could still see at every inch of open space. "This is mine?" I asked.

"Yes," Enzo said, puffing up his chest a bit with pride. "We made it far away so our noise wouldn't bother you, but close enough so that you can leave in a hurry if needed."

"This is amazing. Thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled. "I'll give you some time to…be alone." He scurried off across the rope bridge and disappeared into a fog that recently settled in as night started to awaken. I sat cross legged in the center of the wooden floor and pulled my pack off my back. I didn't have much. All I had were some extra clothing in case I need to ditch mine for some reason and some medicinal things like leaves, plants, sewing supplies, and bandaging made from bamboo leaves. I had a blanket for sleeping, but that was as comfortable as I got. I laid out the blanket and used my pack as a pillow. I found the pack to be a hard substitute for a pillow, so I moved it and just rested my head on the hard wood of my floor.

I felt bad for leaving Lincoln. He was all I knew, all I needed. He was peace, my safety, my family, my _home_. But if I had stayed I would have gotten roped into going back into Mount Weather. And I couldn't handle something like that, emotionally or physically. I found an open patch in the roof and the same with the branches above it. It revealed a gorgeous set of twinkling stars, still dimmed a bit from the sunset. As the dark settled in, a soft light came from the opening of my tree house. I walked to the opening and found two lamps made of netting and wood, stuffed with small fireflies to light the entrance. I packed up my pack and walked the roped bridge back to the main platform.

Gazelle, Enzo, and Yanis were on a platform that looked very far away to the right of my tree house, so they didn't notice me leaving. I wasn't leaving permanently but I needed to take a walk. I climbed down the tree in the dark. For me climbing when I can only feel what I'm doing is a lot easier than when I can see it. My feet hit the ground and I started walking toward a place I had memorized the steps to from any direction. It was a place I went to at night, when I couldn't sleep. It took me a while to there. But as soon as I heard the soothing sound of rushing water, I knew I was close.

Moonlight shined on a glossy pool of water below a rushing water fall that bounded off a cliff. It was my own little rocky oasis. I dropped my pack beside the pool and started undressing. I left on a tank top and my underwear, and then dove into the pool. My body broke the the stillness and I felt the cool, crispness of the spring overwhelming my senses. I didn't surface, but gentle glided down to the bottom. The bottom of the pool was made up of what felt as rocks and mud and the occasionally seaweed plant. I lay on the bottom for as long as possible and then surfaced when I felt as if my lungs were burning. My head broke the surface and I felt the cool wind like ice on my skin. First my ear and face, then my shoulders.

I wiped the water away from my eyes and just treaded water. The soft glow of the water rolled over my fingers as I moved my hand along the water. This was what I knew. It was safe. I would stay here until they didn't need me anymore, like a coward. I had but one fear, and it was Mount Weather.


	3. 5 The Right Thing

I pulled myself out of the water. As much as I loved the feeling of being submersed, I needed to get back to the tree houses before someone noticed I was gone. I dressed and slung my pack on and started walking back to the tree houses in the dark. The walk back was a little difficult because I had never been to the tree houses in the dark. But I made it in one piece. As I neared the watch tree—the tree that either Enzo or Yanis stands by to keep watch—I saw the outline of Dakota, half in the light of the firefly lamps and half in the dark of the night. In front of Dakota was Lincoln, talking to Yanis. And Yanis, being much taller than Lincoln, was half shrouded in the shadow above the lamps. I didn't expect to see Lincoln here, but part of me hoped for it.

Also, I didn't think Lincoln knew about this place. "What are you doing here?" I asked, approaching him and Yanis. I stayed a short distance of a few feet away to ensure some wiggle room if I needed it. After giving Yanis a look he started climbing up the watch tree, giving us some privacy. Without a word, Lincoln stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me tightly, as if I would fade or blow away in the cool wind of night. I couldn't help but return his hug. As we stayed in our close position, I couldn't help but think I'd stayed away too long. I wanted to come back sooner but if I had then I would have seemed like a coward. Or maybe he wouldn't have accepted me back so easily. Or begged for me to stay when I tried to leave again.

Lincoln pulled away after a few short beats and put his hands on my shoulders, like he always used to do when he would talk to me, since I was much shorter than him. "Jade, a long time ago I made you a promise. A promise to keep you safe and I said I would never leave you. I didn't mean to say all those horrible things to you. Please forgive me," he said. It would be so easy to forgive him and forget he ever said for me not to come home. And that doesn't make the pain of hearing those words go away. But I don't want to be mad at Lincoln. I inhaled through my nose and nodded once. "I forgive you," I said.

"Will you come back to the cave with me?" he asked.

"I can't." he nodded in a sort of bittersweet understanding and stepped back. "I hope I'll see you again," he said. I nodded and he walked around me. A feeling of emptiness settled inside me and I didn't like it. I pulled my pack farther up on my shoulder and hoisted myself up onto Dakota's saddle. I urged him forward into a medium pace and followed after Lincoln. I caught up with him quickly. "Lincoln, wait," I called from a short distance behind him. He stopped and turned around with surprise etching his features. Dakota halted beside Lincoln and I could see the makings of a smile on his lips. "Want a ride?" I asked, offering him a hand up. He took my hand and swung up onto Dakota's back behind me. "What made you change your mind?" he asked, over my shoulder.

"Like I'm gonna tell you," I said, which elicited a short chuckle, something I haven't heard in a long time. I urged Dakota on and we started the ride back to the cave. We arrived at the cave a few minutes later. Lincoln slid off as soon as we were stopped and I could hear voices from inside. I slid off and gave Dakota's hind quarters a gentle smack. He disappeared into the shadowed trees and I turned to face the cave. I walked inside a few feet behind Lincoln. Octavia was sleeping in the far corner and Finn and Bellamy were standing in the center, talking about something that's made them irrational. They looked as if they wanted to hit each other. "I found Jade," Lincoln said. His announcement broke up whatever fight was about to occur.

Both men stopped and looked at me in an awkward way, like I was being absurd for interrupting their discussion. I didn't want to go back into Mount Weather but helping these strangers seemed to me like the right thing to do. The task was hard to swallow but I did my best to force it down. "I'm going to help you get your friends back," I said.

"Why'd you change your mind?" Bellamy asked. It was the first time I'd heard this stranger speak. His voice didn't sound as I'd expected it to, not that I was staying awake at night trying to imagine what it sounded like. That would be a complete waste of my time. "That's none of your business. What _is_ your business is I'm going to help," I said. I was about to say something else when the sound of faint voices caught my attention from somewhere outside the cave. "Stay put." I dropped my pack and unsheathed my knife before stepping outside. I saw shadowed outlines of two people, not far off to the right of the cave. Just two wouldn't be hard. I climbed up the nearest tree.

I swung my leg over a sturdy branch about ten feet up, and pulled myself up to stand. I leaned into the tree for support and tried to see the two strangers. "I think we're lost," one said. It was a male's voice. "We're not lost," a female said. "The smoke was coming from this area." smoke. They saw smoke and followed it here…but from where? I climbed down the tree and decided not to kill them, rather ask questions. I rounded them and trailed behind the two strangers. I caught up enough and grabbed one, holding my knife to her throat. I guess I grabbed the female one. She let out a sharp gasp and the male stranger turned and saw me. He froze with panic and fear. "Who are you?" I demanded.

"My name is Abigail Griffin," the female said.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

"To find my daughter," she answered.

"And who is she?" I questioned.

"Her name is Clarke. She was with the others that came from the sky, maybe you have seen them." Clarke. The one Finn said was taken with their friends. I released the woman and she stepped away from me quickly, joining her male counterpart opposite me. I sheathed my knife and it seemed to puzzle both of them. "I know where your daughter is," I said. Abigail, the female stranger, seemed to light up and sadden at the news. "Follow me." I started walking toward the cave but I kept my peripheral vision trained on them as they trailed behind me. We got to just outside the cave and I called, "Lincoln!" I kept the strangers outside with me. Lincoln came out along with Finn, and Bellamy stayed in the doorway. "This is Abigail Griffin," I said to them.

"You're Clarke's mother," Finn said, stepping forward.

"Yes I am. Where is she?" she asked.

"She was taken. Along with the others," Bellamy said, still in the doorway.

"Taken where?" the male stranger asked.

"Inside Mount Weather," Finn said.

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" the male said.

"No," I said. "It's not. It's actually far from it."


	4. Author's Notice

This story's chapters are numbered a bit oddly, as some may have noticed. That is because my friend Nightwing27th and I are working together to reinvent the way duel POV stories are uploaded. The ODD numbered chapters are on the version of this story on MY account. The EVEN numbered chapters are on Nightwing27th's version of this story on HER account. So chapter one (Homecoming) is on this version. While chapter two is on her version. Chapter three (What's Safest) is on my version while chapter four is on her version, and so on. Sorry if it's a bit confusing at first. If you have any questions or comments please PM me or review and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks!

~BarnCat23


	5. 7 Friend or Foe? Definately Foe

I don't know what was worse, finding out Lincoln knew some strange wannabe Grounder girl, or that this wannabe Grounder girl shot Bellamy. Yes, he annoys me and we'd be better off without him. But he was in my group and he was shot by a girl I wanted to kill right now. "Abby, he's bleeding too fast," Finn said. Lincoln knelt to deal with the half conscious stranger and I went to see what kind of damage was done on Bellamy with Abigail. Octavia had woken, probably from hearing a gun shot at such close range, and was knelt by Finn, who was propping up Bellamy.

I wanted to just let him bleed out but seeing Octavia sobbing made me feel guilty. I pushed the gun, I caused that girl to pull the trigger, so it was my fault. My brain went into medical mode and I grabbed my pack from the door and knelt beside Abigail, or Abby as Finn called her. I opened the flap and rummaged through it while Abby applied ample pressure on the wound in his upper abdomen. "Help him!" Octavia cried.

"Without any proper supplies," Abby began. I cut in by showing her my medicinal plants and sewing kit. "Let me," I said. She removed her hands and I scooted closer to see. I slipped two fingers, index and thumb, into the wound. "What are you doing?" Finn asked, looking a bit green.

"There's no exit wound. The bullet's still inside."

"How do you know?" Abby asked.

"If there was an exit wound," I said, feeling around in the wound. "There'd be blood pooling behind him. And there isn't, which means it is still inside." I felt a small, obscure shape. And what I felt as a rib. The bullet was lodged in a rib. I inhaled and looked at Abby. "The bullet's lodged in a rib and it feels like it nicked something, which would explain the blood," I said. She nodded, taking in the information. "You can fix it, right?" Finn asked, looking more at me than Abby. I didn't answer. Honestly I didn't know what I could do. But I knew that Abby had no idea what to do with my medicines, based on how she stared at them, her brow scrunched together in confusion. "What will happen if I try to take the bullet out?" I asked her.

"If it's not done carefully you could break the rib," she said.

"Is that the best or worst case scenario?" Finn asked.

"Best," she said, sadly. I sighed and felt for the bullet again. Once I found it, I tried gently wiggling it to see how stuck in it actually was. As it turns out it wasn't actually far into the bone. The bullet must have used the bone as it's stopping point. And it was moving slow enough, having bounced off a wall first. I wiggled another time and it came loose. But my fingers were covered in blood and it slipped. I must've made some kind of outward reaction, because both Finn and Abby said, in unison, "What?"

"I dropped it," I sighed. Finn sighed disappointedly. "It's okay, it's okay," Abby said. "Did you feel where it went?" I shook my head and kept feeling. It's not exactly as easy as it sounds to search for a small piece of cylindrical metal with two fingers inside a hole the size of a quarter. Then my fingers finally latched onto it and I slowly pulled it out. I dropped it on the floor next to me and looked at the amount of blood lost. It was beginning to be too much. I set up the needle and thread and gave it to Abby. Octavia was still sobbing and the sound was beginning to make me want to leave the cave. When it came to things like crying and screaming, I couldn't handle it. It was a coward's way. But I just couldn't stand it. To get my mind off of the sound I glanced over my shoulder at Lincoln, putting the finishing bandage on the stranger's upper arm. Abby finished her stitching job and I have to admit it looked better than mine. I began bandaging when Octavia asked, "Is he going to be okay?"

"If he makes it through the night, he should okay," Abby replied. Octavia nodded and sniffled, wiping at her eyes. I tied off the bandage and stood. I needed to wash the blood off my hands, if I looked at it any longer I think I might vomit. I can handle killing someone and seeing that type of blood. But if it's on me and I stare at it I feel nauseous. "There's a stream not far from here. We can wash up there," I said to Abby. She stood and followed me outside the cave. It was now full daylight outside, the sun cresting over the trees in a vibrant burst of yellow. Some could argue, saying the sun was orange.

But it looked yellow to me. I inhaled the cool air as I led Abby to the waterfall. I knelt at it's edge and started scrubbing the blood off in the pool. Abby did the same a few feet from me. Once the blood was gone I could see it was going to stain my hands and that annoyed me. I stood and waited for Abby to finish before saying anything. She stood and I said, "How do you know that girl?" she didn't seem taken back by my asking. She must have expected it. We started walking as she answered. "She found us," Abby said.

"And you just trusted her?" I asked, as we neared the cave.

"She didn't give us a reason not to." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. People from the sky seem extremely unintelligent. We entered the cave and I noticed Lincoln wasn't near the stranger. My opening. I knelt down in front of her and unsheathed my knife. "Are you planning on putting that thing away before you hurt yourself?" she said.

"Close. I'm actually planning on slicing your throat with it," I replied.

"Good luck," she replied, "I've got a feeling I'm stronger than you, even one handed."

"Then I guess I'll just have to cut the other one off," I said.

"Those are some big words." I started to lunge forward but hands gripped my arms, yanking me backwards. "Jade, stop," Lincoln said, pulling me to my feet.

"When did you get an attack dog, Lincoln?" the girl said.

"You want an attack dog? Let me show you _attack dog_," I said, struggling against Lincoln's grip. I nearly escaped but then Finn came over as back up to help hold me back. I wanted so badly to kill her. I could feel the fire in my veins. I hate that girl. Although it was hard to tell the difference between hatred and jealousy. Jealousy. Why was I jealous? "Both of you need to stop," Lincoln said. I could tell he was faking his level-headed tone. "Killing each other isn't going to help anyone."

"Except everyone else that wants me dead," the girl said.

"Who else wants you dead?" Finn asked, as if the idea of wanting someone dead was foreign to him.

"Grounders, Mountain Men, my aunt… you name it," she replied. Okay, so it isn't just me that wants her dead. But I want her dead the most. "I know what you're thinking 'Jade', and no you don't." Finn, being the only calm one in this situation, said, "What's your name?" I rolled my eyes. And Lincoln looked at her. And she looked back. "Like I told the others: make something up. My name is too dangerous to be known or said," she said.

"Okay," I said. "Let's call you-"

"Jade," Lincoln interjected. It sounded like a warning. Whose side was he on? "Okay, then how do you know Lincoln?" Finn asked her.

"The Grounders sent him to kill me." I laughed and resisted the urge to commend Lincoln for his efforts, and then finish the job. "Do have to work to make people want to kill you, or does it just come naturally?" I asked.

"I was born during a fight to the death, so I'd say naturally," she said.

"You poor baby," I said. "I was born in someone's sick version of _hell_."

"Something I knew about you the second I saw you."

"How is any of this going to help us get to Mount Weather?" Octavia called from where she sat next to Bellamy.

"Why on what's left of this stupid planet, do you want to go to that hell whole?" she asked, looking around Finn, Lincoln, and I. I yanked my arms from Finn and Lincoln and stood up straight. "Mountain Men took their people and they need help getting them back," I said. A look of disappointment crossed her face. "What a coincidence that I happened to stumble into your cave. And how did you two get here? You were supposed to go the other way," she said.

"We…um…" the male stranger, whom I'd forgotten was even here, said from where he stood in the corner of the cave.

"We got lost," Abby said.

"You sent them into the woods alone?" I asked. "Are you insane?"

"It was that, or let them fight Mountain Men with me. So you pick."

"Hey, I have an idea," Finn said. He glanced at me like I should know what he meant by that and then looked at the girl on the floor. "You come with us and help us get our friends back from the Mountain Men, and we won't let Jade kill you." Lincoln looked made at him. I could tell she was thinking hard about it because she didn't reply right away.

"Okay" she said, "but I'm leading this rescue mission. Because I have an advantage you could never have," she looked at me when she said that last part.

"And what's that?" I asked.

"The leader of the Mountain Men is my father."


	6. 9 Side Effects

We arrived at Lincoln's cave as the sun was getting low behind the trees. I hadn't expected the trip to take as long as it did. And I definitely didn't expect to share so much with the wannabe Grounder girl. I did most of the pulling to drag the weapon filled tarp along behind us on the way back. Lincoln, Finn, and the male stranger that I have yet to learn the name of stood outside the cave, waiting for us. Finn and the stranger started taking weapons inside. "Did you work it out?" Lincoln asked, glancing between the wannabe Grounder girl and me. So, Lincoln put her up to 'working things out'. I inhaled and started taking weapons inside. We got everything inside within an hour. Finn and the stranger started sorting through things near the mouth of the cave. Lincoln joined them a minute after they started. I don't know why, but as I stared at him I thought back to when I was young.

(Flashback; Narrator's POV)

_A now just over five foot tall girl sat crossed legged at the edge of a pool of water. She gazed up at the water fall bounding off the short cliff. The girl didn't know where she was or how she'd arrived at her destination. But it was a gorgeous sight. A rustle and snap sound in the bushes startled her and she shrieked, tumbling into the pool of water. The girl didn't know how to swim, or at least not very well. She kicked and flailed but she kept sinking and she started to panic. Suddenly she felt strong arms under her shoulders, pulling her to the surface. Once her head broke the calm of the water, she sucked in a big breath of air and turned to cling to who rescued her. "It's okay. I've got you, Jade." she recognized the voice as Lincoln's as he swam to the edge of the pool, her arms wound tightly around his neck. _

(Present; Jade's POV)

I came back to reality when I realized someone was trying to talk to me. "Hello? Earth to Jade," Octavia said, waving her hand in front of my face. When she noticed I was actually seeing her now, she smiled in relief. "Bellamy's waking up." I nodded and grabbed my pack from by the door. I didn't want to have to even look at Bellamy again, but the excuse I gave myself was 'It's for Octavia'. Why did I even do it for her? I tried getting Lincoln to see things the way I did when he first saw Octavia, but there was no reasoning with him. That's what drove me to anger, which caused us to fight, which then caused Lincoln to tell me to never come back when I threatened to leave. I sighed and knelt on the opposite side of a half conscious Bellamy as Octavia. "What happened?" he asked, groggily.

"You were shot," Octavia said. I pulled my medicinal plants out of my pack and found the two plants I was looking for. One was for the pain and the other was to help faster replenish blood cells. I opened Bellamy's palm and put the two leaves in his hand. "Eat these," I instructed.

"What are they?" he asked, looking at them like they were poison.

"It's for the pain," I said. He looked at Octavia and she nodded, then he ate the leaves. I knew them to taste bitter from prior experience. And he seemed to think so too based on the look of his face. When he finished swallowing, he coughed. "That's disgusting," he complained.

"You got any more of that stuff?" I glanced up and saw the wannabe Grounder girl standing just behind me. I didn't think to offer her some for her arm. I nodded and pulled two more leaves for pain reducing and handed them to her. She nodded in thanks and went back to sitting against the wall of the cave. "Who's that?" Bellamy asked.

"The girl that shot you," I said. "It was an accident. More my fault than her's." he sighed and rested his head against the cave wall, squeezing his eyes shut. "Yeah, I don't like it either," I said, putting my medicinal plants pouch into my pack.

"Something we have in common, then," he said.

"I'll keep that in mind." I stood and went to Lincoln, Finn, and the stranger at the mouth of the cave where they were sorting and taking stock of what we had as far as weapons went. "So, what's the plan?" I asked, looking at Lincoln. He seemed a bit more on my side now. For whatever reason he seemed to be on the wannabe Grounder girl's side until we made 'peace'. I still don't like her but Lincoln doesn't need to know that. "We don't have one," Finn said. "Any ideas?"

"It wouldn't make sense to attack now, seeing as most of us are injured in some way," Octavia said, from where she sat next to Bellamy.

"We should wait to attack until everyone is fit to do so," Bellamy said.

"Who knows what's happening inside that mountain? The longer we wait, the greater the chance of us finding them dead," Finn argued.

"Easy, sunshine, you're starting to sound like a rainbow," Bellamy said. The wannabe Grounder girl and I both laughed at his words. Lincoln scowls at her and I in turn and then agrees with Finn. Abby, too agreed. "We should send out scouts to survey the area, check for security measures," I said. Whatever beginnings of an understanding Bellamy and I had were obviously gone as he scowled at my idea. "That's a stupid idea. We can't risk any more injuries," he said.

"Well, then, what's the point? If we're concerned about ourselves getting hurt, then what's point of even trying to rescue them?" the wannabe Grounder girl said. Everyone was quiet for a brief pause. And then it was back to the debate. "Okay, I have an idea. And none of you are going to like it," she said.

"And why am I not surprised?" Bellamy said.

"What is it?" Abigail asked, ignoring Bellamy altogether.

"Well, it's simple: I turn myself over." Everyone was under a general consensus that it was a bad idea. Except for me. I silenced everyone with a whistle. "Like I said before, we send scouts. Except when she turns herself in, someone stays in close range to keep contact with her while she's inside," I said. "Safety first."

"Oh real impressive, Einstein. Send her in alone," Bellamy rolled his eyes.

"You know I'd probably have a better come-back if I knew what an 'Einstein' was," the wannabe Grounder girl said. "But for now, you'll have to settle with this: Whether you like it or not, I'm turning myself over. And there are two ways this could go: one, my dad accepts me with open arms. Two, it was a trick to get me to turn myself in, in which case I'll die. But I'm pretty sure it's not a trick."

"And you know this how?" Bellamy said.

"Because one of the Grounders he captured was my aunt. And she wouldn't give up the opportunity to rat me out," she replied. Lincoln stared at the girl with an unreadable expression. "Who's your aunt?" Finn asked.

"Anya, leader of the Grounders." There was a moment of recognition on everyone's faces, including my own. "If you're from the Ark, then so is she," the stranger said.

"What's an 'Ark'?" the girl asked.

"You need to stop skipping classes," Bellamy said. The girl let out a breath and then stormed out of the cave. I couldn't blame her for wanting to leave. Bellamy seemed to be especially annoying and rude, and got that way in the past five minutes. And the wannabe Grounder girl was acting strangely as well. Then it hit me. It screamed 'side effect'. I'd given both Bellamy and the girl the leaves for the pain and not five minutes later they were acting abnormally. I swore under my breath. "You know, next time I want her gone that fast I'll remember to give you pain relieving leaves. Oh, and did I forget to mention those leaves have ugly side effects? My bad," I said.

"What are the side effects?" Octavia asked.

"It brings out your most dominant trait," I said, and Bellamy frowned. "At least we know what's on the inside now." Lincoln glanced at me with a look that said he was proud that I stood up to Bellamy for treating the wannabe Grounder girl poorly. Only I get to say things like that to her. Anyone else who tries, has to answer to me. "Oh I'm sorry, was that supposed to offend me?" Bellamy said. Octavia smacked his arm but he ignored her. I rolled my eyes and walked outside to join the wannabe Grounder girl.


	7. 11 Gone

The wannabe Grounder girl walked into the now darkened trees and disappeared as the shadows enveloped her. It was not a good idea to let her go anywhere alone, not in her state of mind. I couldn't go after her, either. I felt someone near me just before I heard a voice, "Where is she going?" It was Abby. I sighed and shook my head. "I don't know," was all I could say. Because, in fact, I didn't know where she was going. And a part of me didn't want to know. Abby and I walked back inside the cave and I resisted the urge to hit Bellamy. Lincoln came up to me and Abby left my side. "I'm proud of you, Jade," he said.

"Haven't heard that in a while," I said. The corners of his mouth were threatening to pull up into a smile. Octavia came up beside me with a worried expression. "Is she coming back?" she asked, glancing between Lincoln and i. "I wanted to apologize for my _stupid brother's_ comments." When she said 'stupid brother's' she shot a glare in Bellamy's direction and he rolled his eyes. "Yeah," I said. "She'll be back in a little while." Octavia nodded with a sigh of relief and sat on the ground next to her brother. "So, what are we doing?" Finn asked, becoming impatient.

"Waiting for her to get back," I said. I said it with a little bit more attitude than I intended, like it was his fault she left. He shrunk back a bit and looked at the ground momentarily. "It wasn't his fault," Lincoln said.

"No," I said. "It was _mine_ for giving _Bellamy_ those stupid leaves."

"Since when were you on _her_ side?" Bellamy asked, throwing his arms out in exasperation. I lunged toward him and Lincoln caught me by the arm, gripping tightly so I wouldn't succeed in my mission to hurt Bellamy. "Jade, don't," Lincoln said.

"Just give me five minutes," I said. He tilted his head in a way that said, 'are you serious?' "I won't kill him." He shook his head with a sigh and I yanked my arm free from his grasp. To be honest, I didn't know when I joined her 'side'. And I didn't know why I wanted to kill everyone so badly. I know I didn't eat any leaves. "Right now, I think we could all do with some rest," Abby said.

"Great idea," Finn agreed. Lincoln volunteered for first watch before I could, and stepped outside of the cave. I wasn't exactly tired so I slid down the wall of the cave and pulled my knees up, close to my chest. I actually started to dose off a bit but my drifting off was interrupted by the sound of gun fire. My head snapped up so fast I'm surprised my neck didn't break. Everyone but Octavia, Bellamy, and i stayed asleep through the noise. "Stay put," I said, getting to my feet. I hurried outside the cave to find Lincoln. "What was that?" I asked, as I joined him a few feet from the cave entrance. He shook his head and a thought came to mind. "It's her, she's in trouble," I said. I sounded like a mother worrying for her child. I hated it, but I couldn't help myself.

I started walking in the direction of the shots when one more rang out into the darkness. I leapt up and grabbed the branch dangling above me. I pulled myself up into the tree and started traveling by tree until I reached the river. I saw the silhouette of people and crouched on a limb. Being on the opposite side of the river didn't give me much of a view. But I didn't see the wannabe Grounder girl anywhere. They must have dragged her away by now. Several young men in black, combat style outfits with large guns stood on the opposite side of the river. One of them was older.

He looked like the leader of their group. He gave an inaudible order and the whole group of men started walking away from where I was positioned. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lincoln on the branch next to mine. I briefly wondered if he also had the urge to follow. He motioned to me, a brief movement of his hand, telling me to go back to the cave as he disappeared in that direction. I followed him back to the cave without argument, though I wish I had argued. When we neared the cave, he dropped from the tree, and I followed suite. "Why aren't we following them?" I asked.

"It isn't safe," he said. "We'll scout in the morning." I thought about what she had said about turning herself in. Maybe she'd planned it and it wasn't an accident. Lincoln and I entered the cave. Octavia and Bellamy were asleep, along with the others. I slid down into the position I was in before and inhaled. What was I doing, sitting around while she was possibly in real danger? My thoughts were disturbed by a cough. I hadn't realized it but I had fallen asleep. Dim sunlight filtered in through the entry way as everyone started waking up. I got to my feet and briefly stretched my arms. "What happened last night?" Octavia asked, walking up to me.

"Mountain Men took her," I said.

"What? How did this happen?" Abby asked.

"I don't know," I said.

"Jade and I will find out what happened," Lincoln assured everyone.

"Good riddance," Bellamy mumbled. I chose to ignore his comment and slung my pack over my shoulder. I exited the cave and began walking. After a few minutes of walking, Lincoln caught up with me. We walked in silence as we followed the wannabe Grounder girl's tracks. There wasn't much, but what there was left of her foot prints led to the river. Without hesitation I crossed the river and made my way up the other side. There were obscure smears in the damp earth on the bank. And the multiple boot prints leading away from the river. Only one set of tracks was different from all the others.

It was her's. It didn't say she'd been dragged, but it didn't necessarily say she'd gone with them voluntarily. After a few minutes of debate, Lincoln convinced me to go back to the cave. It took only a few minutes to get back. Once we were there, I heard voices. I walked inside the cave and noticed Finn, Bellamy, and Octavia all sitting next to each other on the floor, staring at a piece of paper. They were taking turns audibly reading it, saying the same thing over and over, all in different ways. It was obviously a name they were reciting. "It's pronounced Yuh-car-uh," I said. "What is that?"

"A wanted poster for Lincoln's friend," Bellamy said. "Looks like she isn't the saint you make her out to be."


	8. 13 Bellamy in Peril

I want to hit Bellamy so hard. I don't think 'Yachara' was a saint. No one is. Lincoln seemed to notice my anger and annoyance toward Bellamy and stared me down until I sighed. "I'm not gonna kill him," I said. He gave me a skeptical look and I rolled my eyes. It seemed he was never on my side in anything anymore. I sat on the floor shoulder-to-shoulder with Finn and snagged the paper. "Hey!" Finn said, as I grabbed it.

"Lemme read it," I said. He sighed and allowed me to keep reading. So she was wanted. Apparently Anya wanted her dead. For what? I didn't know and half-heartedly didn't care. I gave Finn the paper and stood. "I'm going hunting. I'll be back tomorrow," Lincoln said, standing near the mouth of cave.

"Let me go with you," I said. He shook his head. "You're needed here." I inhaled and he left the cave without another word. I let the air out with a huff. I could've gone with him. Why was he rejecting me so much? Was it something I did? Abby approached me. "I'm sure you'll find something to do," she said. Obviously she was trying to encourage me, but I wasn't in the mood to listen to her—to anyone. For most of my life I was Lincoln's shadow, doing anything and everything with him exactly how he did it. But now I don't know what I am to him.

I sighed, grabbed my pack, and left the cave. Wouldn't go far, just to the waterfall. And I did. I undressed down to my underwear and a tank top and sat at the edged. My legs were in the water to well above the knee. It was icy cool on my warm skin, sending a trail of goose bumps all up and down my arms. I took a deep breath and slid into the water. The cold enclosed me and I sank until I touched the rocky bottom. My eyes were squeezed shut and the darkness was an inviting sight, though I wasn't truly seeing anything. This was my bliss. Darkness and extremely cold water. Once the need for air became too much to ignore, I surfaced.

I sucked in a few breaths and then pushed back under the water. I used to hate water, fear it even. But once Lincoln taught me how to swim I couldn't stay away. I don't have a single memory now that doesn't involve Lincoln. The only one I could possibly think of that didn't have him in it was of my mother when I was four. She'd given me a necklace. It was a leather string with a little white crystal hanging from it. I wore it until I ran away and then I stashed it in my pack. I surfaced to a completely different time of day. It was now near sunset.

I didn't think I stayed out that long, but being underwater distorts how I think. I swam to the edge where I left my pack. I hefted myself up onto the rocks and opened the flap on my pack. I rummaged around until I found my dark leather pouch. I opened the pouch and shook out my mother's necklace into my wet palm. I fingered the crystal orb in the string and noticed something engraved in it on either side. I was about to look more closely when I heard, "Jade! Jade, where are you? Jade!" it was a frantic female voice. Octavia. I quickly pulled my pants back on and threw the necklace in my pack. I slung it over my shoulder and ran to find Octavia. I found her frantically walking around in the forest several yards from the cave. "Octavia, what are you doing out here?" I asked.

"There's something wrong with Bellamy! He was talking and then he just passed out! And he's bleeding-"

"Show me, c'mon," I said. She ran ahead of me, 'leading' me to the cave. Standing out in the woods somewhere while Bellamy was possibly bleeding to death didn't seem productive so I tried to keep Octavia moving while she spoke. "I don't know what happened," she said, as we entered the cave. Immediately I saw blood upon entering. Abby was trying to figure out what was wrong. I hurriedly knelt beside her where she sat next to Bellamy with my pack. Blood was oozing from the wound, around the stitches. It was mixed with white that I recognized as puss. "What's wrong with him?" Octavia asked, sitting opposite Abby and I.

"It looks like the beginnings of Septicemia," Abby said, before I could.

"What's that?" Finn asked, looking over our shoulders.

"It's an infection of the blood caused by an overwhelming immune response to infection. Chemicals released into the blood to fight infection trigger widespread inflammation. Blood clotting during sepsis reduces blood flow to limbs and internal organs, depriving them of nutrients and oxygen. In severe cases, one or more organs fail. In the worst cases, infection leads to a life-threatening drop in blood pressure, called septic shock," I explained.

"How do you treat?" he asked.

"I can treat this with a few Antibiotics in the form of plants." I flipped opened the flap on my pack and started digging. "We need to stop the bleeding. Open the stitches and find out what's causing it to bleed," I instructed. I handed Abby my medical tools and she got to work. I pulled out my medicinal plants and started sorting through them to find the right ones. "Stopped the bleeding," Abby said. She started sewing it back up again. She was partially done when blood stared pouring back out. I quickly pulled out a small vial of liquid and got a syringe from my pack. I loaded the syringe and injected the liquid into Bellamy. "What was that?" Abby asked.

"Coagulant," I said, simply. The bleeding slowed quickly and Abby got to work sewing. She sewed a laceration inside the wound and then sewed the wound itself shut. I quickly left the cave and started looking around for two stones. I needed two and I didn't see a single one. Finn came outside and looked at me like I was crazy. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I need stones to ground up the leaves," I said. We both started frantically looking for rocks. "Here! Here!" Finn handed me the rocks and I hurried inside. I sat back down and started grinding the multiple leaves I needed between them until they were like a paste. I took some water and mixed the two in one of my small bowls, creating a syringe-able substance. I loaded the syringe and injected it into a vein. "Pulse is racing, temperature is extremely low…" Abby said.

"It's definitely Sepsis," I said. "If we caught it in time, it shouldn't be a lot of trouble to treat. The infection could last a few days at the least."

"But he'll be okay, right?" Octavia asked. I glanced at Abby. "He should be," she said, noticing my queue. I didn't want to say the truth. The truth that Bellamy may not make it through the night, let alone a few days. The guilt I had felt in the beginning came bubbling up in the pit of my stomach and I wanted to retch. It was almost unbearable. It wasn't just guilt, something else a little more painful accompanied it. But I couldn't place it so I tried my best to ignore it's existence. It was now dark outside, so Finn Abby and the ale stranger all found a place to sleep on the cave floor. Octavia slept near Bellamy and unfortunately I had to as well. If something happened in the middle of the night, the mere seconds it would take me to get to him could cost his life. And I wasn't about to chance it.


	9. 15 Bellamy Still in Peril

I woke to a shallow cough not long after I'd fallen asleep. Octavia was still asleep so I quietly sat up and turned to Bellamy. He was half-conscious and shaking like crazy. I felt his forehead with the back of my hand and found he was running an intense fever. I got a blanket from the corner of the cave and brought it back across the cave with me. I knelt beside Bellamy and draped the blanket over his body. He opened his eyes and looked at me and I put a finger to my lips. "I'll be right back," I whispered. I grabbed a small wooden bucket and left the cave.

The trees lit up in the dark, lighting my way to the waterfall. It was the closest body of water that was safe to use for medical purposes. Once I arrived, I knelt down and scooped up some water in the bucket and then started walking back. I made it back to the cave in record time. Not that I was counting. On my way over to Bellamy I picked up a rag and brought it with. I sat down beside him and submerged the rag in the water. It was ice cold, perfect for fevers. I rung out the rag and pressed it to his forehead. "Why are you doing this?" he muttered quietly.

"Because I feel bad for Octavia," I whispered. He was quiet for a minute. And then said, "About what I said earlier…"

"You don't owe me an explanation."

"I feel bad about it." Now that I hadn't expected, not from Bellamy. But, then again, it was most likely just the fever talking. "I'm sure you do," I whispered. The rag was getting dry so I started submerging it again. "I do," he said, coughing at the end. I placed the rag on his forehead again and, having looked in that direction for a mere second, I caught him staring at me. I told myself that it was just the medications and the fever getting to him and that I should just ignore him. "You're not a Grounder, are you?" he asked. Naturally the question wouldn't affect me. But I had to act like it did at first. "What do you care, anyway?" I asked.

"Just wanna know who my doctor is," he shrugged under the blanket. "And you don't have the paint and the tattoos like Lincoln and Anya."

"That's because not all Grounders are the same. I do have a tattoo, though," I said. I swiveled and pulled my tank top up by the hem. I pulled it just over my shoulders so that the tattoo on my left shoulder blade was visible. The tattoo was a long vine that curled as it came down, creating an unknown shape. "What's that supposed to be?" he asked. I dropped my tank top down and turned to face him. I shrugged. "I don't know. I just thought it looked cool. I also have this one," I lifted the hem of my tank top to reveal a small tattoo just below my ribs on my left side.

It was a star shape made up of black lines that resembled vines. "It connects to this one." I dropped the hem of my tank top and held out my right arm. Near my shoulder, a vine emerged from beneath my tank top and wound itself around my arm, down to just past my elbow. "Why the interest in vines?" he asked.

"I don't know…I got them when I was about…thirteen?"

"Thirteen?" he asked, disbelieving.

"Yup," I said. After a second or two of silence, he began a coughing fit that ended in retching blood. "That's not supposed to happen, is it?" he asked, wiping blood from his mouth.

"Abby! Wake up!" I shouted. Everyone instantly perked up. "What, what's wrong?" Abby said, walking over and kneeling beside Bellamy. She saw the blood and she immediately looked worried. "Oh this is not good," she said.

"What's wrong with him?" Octavia asked. He retched more blood and I turned to Abby. "What do we do?" I didn't know what to do. I wasn't trained in this sort of thing. She knew a lot more about this kind of thing than I do. "I…I don't…" she was shaking her head with a puzzled expression. I don't know why, but I felt angry that she didn't know. "Abby, I don't know what to do with this," I said, edging on the angry side of tones. "_You_ have to do something!" Finn and the male stranger were both staring at me but I ignored them. "I can't, Jade. I don't have the proper equipment," she said.

"So what, you're just gonna let him die?" Octavia asked her.

"I can't do anything," Abby said. While they argued, Bellamy glanced at me and knew what he was saying without words: Kill me. I shook my head. He sighed and leaned his head back against the wall. An idea came to mind and I shot to my feet. "Yachara can help us," I said. Everyone was quiet and turned to me with wavering expressions. "What?" Abby said.

"You heard me," I said. "She's inside Mount Weather. They have medical technology we could never imagine. Maybe I can get her to help somehow."

"No," Bellamy coughed. "I'm not worth the risk."

"Yes you are," Octavia and I said in unison. We both looked at each other momentarily with a looked of 'did we both just say that?' then we snapped back to the conversation. "I'm going," I said. I slid my long sleeve shirt on and then pulled on my dark leather vest. I slung my pack over my shoulder. "I'll get back as fast as I can," I said. I hurried outside and dug into my pocket. I pulled out my metal whistle and blew into it. After a second passed, Dakota came bounding toward the cave. It was just barely light out now. Dakota halted harshly a few feet from me and I hefted myself up onto his saddle as quickly as I could without swinging off the other side. I urged him on and he sped into a gallop as we headed for Mount Weather.


	10. 17 MHP

I sat slumped against the base of a tree as I waited. Yachara was convinced she could get whatever drug she thought would save Bellamy in time. Why am I so apt to help him, anyway? I couldn't take sitting still any longer so I started pacing. But that didn't help any, so I sat back down. So we had one real conversation that only lasted a few minutes. That doesn't make us friends, or colleagues, or acquaintances. It doesn't make us anything but strangers that had a conversation. Dakota snorted and I startled. Why am I so jumpy? I heard footsteps and I leapt to my feet.

A tall, dark haired guy was walking through the woods openly, most likely not thinking about anyone killing him. Like me. Dakota began pawing at the dirt in anticipation and I grabbed his reins. "Easy boy," I whispered. I quickly signaled for him to move and he trotted off into the trees. I leapt up, latching onto the first available branch, and pulled myself up into the tree.

Whoever this person was, I wasn't taking any chances. The stranger kept walking past my tree, as if I wasn't even here. He looked a bit familiar but I knew I'd never seen him before.

He got a few feet from my tree and I quietly dropped down. My feet touched the ground and I hurriedly snuck up behind him. I used my signature move: hold a knife to his throat. It's simple and affective. He held still and didn't fight me which was a bit odd. "Who are you?" I asked. In an instant he pinned my arm behind my back.

My knife fell to the ground. "I could ask you the same question," he said. A wise guy. great. I used his own force against him, spinning and driving him to the ground with my knee putting pressure to his shoulder. "You wanna give me your name now?" I forced out through clenched teeth.

"Caleb," he said, slightly groaning at the end. "And yours would be...?"

"Jade. What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"You know Yachara, don't you?" he said. It wasn't really a question. More he knew the answer but had to say it anyway. I instantly let him go and he staggered to his feet. He dug into his back pocket and retrieved two small vials full of colored liquid. "I think these are for you," he said. He stretched his other shoulder oddly, wincing. "What are they?" I asked, hesitantly taking them, careful not to actually touch his skin.

"MHP. It'll take care of Bellamy," he said. I gave him an 'I don't believe you' look and he sighed. "It's from Yachara. I swear." The only reason I have to trust this 'Caleb' guy is that he supposedly knows Yachara. And he could just know _of_ her, not actually _know_ her. I picked my knife up from the ground, not letting my eyes leave his form. I don't have time for this at all. I should've left as soon as I had the vials.

"The Mountain Men are going to use the Hundred for an army," he said. I paused. "Why would they do that willingly?" I asked.

"They wouldn't. This is why they're going to be brainwashed."

"Brainwashed…?" I said. He sighed. "I don't have time to explain, and neither does Bellamy. Take the MHP and go," he said. I whistled and Dakota came bounding toward me. Caleb jumped back before Dakota could run into him. I fought a chuckle and hefted myself onto his saddle. "That's not funny," he said. I ignored him and slid the vials into my pack pocket. I urged Dakota on and he lurched into a fast pace, heading back toward Lincoln's cave. As soon as we reached the cave, I didn't wait for Dakota to stop completely before jumping off.

I ran into the cave and dug out the vials. "What's that?" Finn asked. I quickly knelt beside Bellamy, next to Octavia and Abby. I pulled out a syringe and loaded it with vial number one while I spoke, "It's called MHP. It's from Yachara." Once I had it loaded I found a vein in Bellamy's cold, pale arm. I injected the MHP and then started loading the second dose. "What does it do?" Octavia asked. I shook my head. "I don't know," I said.

"_You don't know_?" Octavia repeated, with a sinister tone that made me wonder what had happened in the short time i was gone. I turned slightly to look at her head on and looked into her eyes. "I swear to you on my life I would never give Bellamy anything that would hurt him. Do you understand?" I said. She looked taken aback, as did the rest of our little group. I hadn't noticed Lincoln was standing by Finn. When did he get back? Octavia nodded and I injected the second vial into Bellamy's arm.

Not minutes after the second does was injected, color started coming back in Bellamy's face. I took a deep breath and stood. "We need to talk," I said, looking directly at Lincoln. He nodded and headed for the door. I was on my way out when I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Octavia. "Thank you," she said. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. I nearly jumped back but I forced myself to stay still.

My attempt at returning her hug was awkward and weak but I couldn't do better than that. She let go and I nodded before heading out the mouth of the cave. Lincoln and I walked in silence until we reached the waterfall. We stood near the edge and I turned to face him. This was it.

The conversation that could either make or break us. But first, I had to tell him about the hundred being used as an army. "The people that were taken by Mountain Men, the one's we're going to rescue, are going to be used as an army," I said. "The guy that brought me the MHP said they're going to brainwash them." Lincoln thought it over for a beat before answering. "Then we need to speed up our plans. We need to somehow get a message to Yachara," he said.

Mustering up all the anger and emotion I could I said, "Do you care about Yachara? More than you do me?" he looked out at the waterfall and I felt a lump in my throat. I hadn't cried in years. I wasn't going to let myself start right now. He took a deep breath and still didn't answer. I let out the breath I'd been holding as he finally said, "No."

"Really? Then why are you pushing me away?" he looked at me like he didn't know what I was talking about and he started denying it. "Jade, I'm not-"

"You don't look at me the same! You don't talk to me unless it's to tell me not to touch her! Why?" My anger and emotion was finally getting to be too much and my eyes began watering, welling up with tears. I crossed my arms as if to ward off any unjust answer he might give and tried breathing without hitching. He didn't speak for several moments. "Say something," I begged. I was acting ridiculously. But I acted differently when I was around Lincoln. I was a different person for him than I was for anyone else.

That's why this is so hard. He started a speech about how he loves me the same as he does her, if not more. And how I was being ridiculous for accusing him of mistreatment. In some ways I was, but this is how we deal with things. We come right out and say what's bothering us. When did that change? I shook my head as he spoke. "Jade…Why is it that anytime I look at someone in a way you don't like, you get angry at me? She's a friend. And if you can't handle that then-"

"Then what, Lincoln? You'll kick me out?" he looked crestfallen when I said that last bit. "I think you've already done that once."

"Where is this coming from?" he asked.

"You're not on my side anymore, not in your actions or your words. When did we change? When did I stop being enough for you?" he didn't say anything, just walked back toward the cave. At first I was angry, but then I just felt empty. I haven't felt empty for years. Lincoln filled the hole in my heart for this long but now…now I don't know what to do. I fell to my knees beside the pool and started sobbing. Whether it was because of Lincoln or the pain in my chest, I don't know. I felt like I couldn't breathe and I choked on my tears. It's a miracle that I still had my pack with me. I have a feeling I'm not going back to the cave anytime soon.


	11. 19 Letters

I sat by the waterfall until I finally calmed down enough to stop crying. I had debated going to stay with Gazelle, Enzo, and Yanis, but decided against it. If there was another medical emergency then I would need to be close by. My mind wondered to what Yachara was doing right about now. Probably sitting around doing nothing. I hadn't heard anything until Octavia sat beside me. "Are you okay? Lincoln said you two had a fight," she said. I didn't answer at first. I didn't know what to say. I wanted to say that she needed to mind her own business before I pummeled her. But she was the only person right now I was sure was genuinely concerned about me. "I'm fine," I said, crossing my legs in front of me.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" she offered.

"No…thank you, really, I'm fine," I said. The last thing I wanted right now was to delve into my inner feelings about my fight with Lincoln. I needed to move. I stood and started walking in the direction of Mount Weather. If I was going to do something, it might as well be productive. I pulled my metal piece from my pocket and blew into the cylindrical hole at it's tip. Still in the clearing of the waterfall, Dakota came up beside me and didn't stop as I swung my leg over, onto his saddle. We walked through the trees toward Mount Weather and I replayed Lincoln and my argument from earlier. He'd said he didn't care about Yachara more than me. But refused to answer all the other things I'd said. And his only answer was a simple 'No'. I inhaled and let the air out in a huff, to which Dakota replied with a short snort.

We arrived as close to Mount Weather as possible. I slid off and smacked his hind quarters. He bounded off into the trees and I proceeded to walk down the bank of the river. I tried not to splash as my feet slipped in the mud and I tumbled into the river. I mental cursed myself out while I stood. "Nice going…" I muttered under my breath. I quietly made my way across the river and up onto the dry bank of the other side. I walked upstream a bit and kept my eyes on the mountain. Something caught my eye, farther up on the base. I grabbed a tree branch for support and pulled myself higher up the slope. I climbed up onto a small patch of completely flat ground. For a moment I wondered what room was underneath my feet.

I shook the thought from my mind and kept walking. There was a shadow on the side of the mountain. And as I got closer, I saw the shadow was really an opening in the rocks and grass and foliage. I leaned into the dirt with my knees and examined the opening. It was big enough for maybe me to slip through, if I was, oh…twenty pounds lighter maybe. If I squeezed. Not that I was obese, I was _fit_. Inside the opening, I could see a dim overcast of a light from farther down whatever hallway this opened in to. Inside the opening was what looked like metal folded inward. Like someone tore into the metal. In examining, I found a few pieces of folded paper resting on the lip of the tear. I hesitantly grabbed the papers, shoved them into my pack pocket, and started down the mountain, toward the river.

These could be from Yachara. But they could also be from…no, there really isn't anyone else it could be from. With it now being full daylight there wasn't much shadow. As soon as I was across the river, I leapt into the trees. Who knows if someone saw me? No one knows what kind of security measures Mount Weather might have enabled. I leapt from branch to branch until I was at least two miles from the mountain. I dropped to the ground and started back toward the waterfall. There was no way I was going to Lincoln's cave, not yet. You know, I used to call that cave mine, once upon a time. I sighed frustratedly and slid a strap of my pack from my shoulder, twisting it around in front of me. I dug into a pocket a pulled out the folded paper. I held up both of them and mentally selected which one to open. I shoved the other back into my pack and opened the one still in my hands.

The handwriting was terrible, but I could understand what it was. When I realized what exactly I was reading, I took off at a sprint toward Lincoln's cave. I hurried into the cave, startling everyone, and said, "We've got a plan." The whole group looked at me in confusion for a solid fifteen seconds before anyone said anything. "How?" Finn asked. I held up the paper and then gave it to him. "Where'd you get this?" Abby asked, reading the words over Finn's shoulder.

"Mount Weather. It's from Yachara," I said. I glanced at Bellamy and noticed he quickly looked away, a dead give-away, telling me he was staring and he didn't want me to notice. Octavia stood and went to read over Finn's shoulder as well. I leaned against the wall and crossed my arms as the silence of reading filled the cave. "What does it say?" Bellamy asked.

"There's a whole city behind Mount Weather. Called, 'Calypso'. That'll be the entry point," I said. "From there, we go in through a secret tunnel and enter the actual mountain." He looked to be thinking about what I said. Octavia looked up from the paper. "Who is Caleb?" she asked.

"He gave me the MHP," I replied.

"Can we trust him?" Lincoln asked. I didn't want to talk to him so I just nodded. Honestly, I didn't know if Caleb was trustworthy. But obviously Yachara thinks he is, or else she wouldn't have sent him with the MHP. At least I hope she wouldn't. I pulled out the other folded paper note and walked to Abby. "This is for you. From Clarke," I said, holding the paper out to her. She quickly took it and unfolded the paper, turning and walking in the opposite direction. "Did you see her?" Abby asked, glancing at me. I shook my head. "No. I found these outside the mountain," I said. Bellamy stood with a sigh. "How do we know these aren't from the Mountain Men? Feeding us false information?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"The Mountain Men don't know we're here. They don't know we're going to break them out," Finn said.

"When are we going in?" Lincoln asked.

"It says tomorrow night," Octavia said, now holding the paper.

"This should be good," Bellamy said.

"You don't think we can do it? The plan is already coordinated. All we have to do is execute it," I said. He squared his shoulders as he glanced at me. "I think we're not ready for something like this," he said. "Octavia's leg isn't anywhere near healed yet, we're out of shape, and I seriously doubt Abby or Kane knows how to _use_ a gun, let alone _seen_ a gun." Oh. So the male stranger's name was _Kane_. Interesting. "So we use the day light of tomorrow to prepare," I said.

"Are you always like this?" he asked. He asked it in a way that wasn't a rude, condescending, attitude filled insult. It was of more of a playful nature. I cocked an eyebrow. "What? Can't handle the heat?" I asked. He half-chuckled lightly and smirked. "Oh, I can handle it," he said. "Can you?" I heard someone clear their throat and I noticed it was Octavia. She glanced between us in a sisterly way. "Do you want us to step out so you two can be alone?" she asked. I glanced at Bellamy and he glanced at me. I shook my head with a huff. "I'll be at the waterfall," I said. I turned and walked out of the cave. Lincoln didn't follow. Part of me wanted him too. But the rest of me was glad he didn't. I took a deep breath and dropped my pack near the pool of water catching the waterfall's droplets. I undressed down to my tank top and underwear and jumped into the pool.

I sunk to the bottom and let the air out of my mouth, sending bubbles to the surface. I opened my eyes and looked upward. It was dark and blurry but I could see things like the shapes of trees and the ripple of the water hitting the pool. My lungs began to burn and I pushed to the surface. My head broke water and I sucked in a breath. I heard a noise behind me, as I faced the waterfall, and I quickly spun around in the water. Bellamy stood a few feet from the edge. He looked startled, like he didn't expect me to come up from the water right then. "What are you doing here?" I asked, sounding a bit more annoyed than I'd like. I wasn't annoyed. I was actually relieved to see he was standing and walking. That meant the MHP really was a cure-all.

He stared at me for a bewildered second. "I came to talk to you," he said, snapping out of his deer-in-headlights state. I sighed and swam to the edge. I pulled myself up and sat. "About what?" I asked, twisting around to see him. He stepped forward and sat, wincing slightly. So I guess it didn't cure everything. But most of it was healed. "Thank you," he said. "For risking your life for mine."

"I'm a healer. It's what I do," I said, needing an excuse for my actions. He nodded, looking at the water. "And, you're welcome." He cut a sideways glance at me with the slightest hint of a smirk and I felt a weird sensation in the pit of my stomach. It was like nausea, but a good kind of nausea, if that sort of thing even could exist. He looked at my arm, farthest from him. "You know, your tattoo looks a lot better when I'm not about to die," he said.

"Was that a compliment?" I asked, in mock surprise. "What is the world coming to?" he chuckled. "What was it like? Living up there…" he lifted one shoulder in a half shrug and then shook his head. "Terrible," he said. "If you're older than eighteen, and you commit a crime, you die. No exceptions."

"I imagine it would get boring extremely fast," I said, and he nodded. I stood and rung out my hair before pulling my pants on. I fought the insane urge to blush as I dressed. "Do you stay here alone?" Bellamy asked, as I pulled my hair from my shirt and sat. I nodded. "Sometimes."

"Do you and Lincoln fight often?" I knew he was probing for topics of conversation that I would accept. I shook my head. "Not usually, no. it's getting kind of late," I said.

"You mind if I stay out here? The fresh air's nice," he said. I nodded and he lay on his back, staring up at the sky. I stared at him momentarily, taking in the sight of him, and then laid down an ample space apart. I reached into my pack and pulled out my mother's necklace. I held up the gem to the moonlight and examined the engraving. One of the engravings was a letter _K_ and the other was a letter _C_. My mother never told me about anyone with the initials of _KC_. But I wound the necklace around my hand, the gem flesh against my palm, and held it near my heart as I drifted off, trying not to think about what might befall us tomorrow.


	12. 21 Breakout Day

I woke with a start, lurching into a sitting position. The sun was just starting to rise and it was still dark. The cool breeze cut right through my long sleeves, sending a shiver up my spine and goose bumps down my arms. I let out a breath and opened my palm. I stared at my necklace for a minute before clasping it behind my neck. I slipped the gem under my shirt and stood. I stretched my back. Today was the big day. The day that Yachara referred to as 'B-Day' in her letter. I grabbed my pack off the floor and glanced over at Bellamy.

He'd rolled over in the opposite direction of me some time during the night, and he used his arm for a pillow. His over arm was draped over his head like it was meant to cover his ears. I nudged him with my foot. "I'm awake," he grumbled, his voice slightly muffled.

"Then let's go. We need to get ready to leave for Mount Weather," I said. He sighed, sounding annoyed, as he pulled himself up to stand. He looked at me with an expression that said he got little to no sleep last night, and I was being ridiculous for waking him up. "It's not even officially sunrise yet," he said.

"What's wrong with starting early?" I asked, crossing my arms. As he looked away, I noticed he rolled his eyes. I inhaled. "Bellamy," I said. "We have a lot to do to prepare for tonight." He ignored me and slid off his shirt. He took off his shoes and jumped into the water, splashing water my way. "Bellamy! What are you doing?" Only his head was above water. He smirked. "What does it look like?" he asked.

"It looks like you're wasting time," I said, crouching beside the pool as he swam to the edge. "We need to get moving." He looked up at me and something flashed in his eyes. He stared at me a second. Then he grabbed my wrist and tugged, sending me splashing into the water, fully clothed. I surfaced to find him laughing while anger boiled inside me. "Really? That's how it's gonna be?" I half-shouted to hear over his laughter. His face suddenly went serious as he realized I was going to get revenge. I lunged forward and pushed down on his shoulders, shoving him under the water.

From underneath, he wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me over his shoulder. I surfaced and he was laughing still. I splashed water at him and he splashed back. After a few minutes of trying to fight with him, I found myself laughing as well. We stopped splashing and he stared at me with an unreadable expression. I shook my head. "What?" I asked.

"You're laughing," he said.

"Yeah? So?" I said. He smiled. "Forget about it," he said. He dunked me and I retaliated doing the same. Am I really fooling around in the water while work needs to be done? What's happened to me? I called a truce and swam to the edge. He followed and leaned against the edge, next to me. "That was-"

"Fun," he said.

"A waste of time," I said.

"Was it? Because you looked to be enjoying yourself." I turned to face him, only to find him smirking at me. "Admit it. You like spending time with me." I was tempted to agree but I shook my head. "No. I only like pushing your head underwater so I don't have to look at you," I lied. I couldn't fight the tingling, nauseous feeling in my stomach as he chuckled. He inched closer and closer until he was right in front of me. "What-" I was interrupted by the most unexpected thing: Bellamy's lips on mine. It was an odd sensation that I couldn't describe even if I was given a million years to find the words. "Whoa…" I startled at the sound of another voice, a female voice I knew all too well.

I lurched backward and quickly found the owner of the voice. Octavia stood a few feet from the pool. "Lincoln wants to get started with prep for Mount Weather," she said, jabbing her thumb in a direction over her shoulder. "If you two are done." I quickly climbed from the pool, feeling my cheeks getting warmer by the second. I dug into my pack and pulled out my extra clothes. While I did so, Bellamy pulled himself out of the water and Octavia pulled him to the side for a private conversation. With their backs turned, I took the opportunity to change clothes. So now instead of leather pants, a black long-sleeve shirt, and a vest, I wore black jeans, a brown long-sleeved shirt, and a dark jacket. I slung my pack on my shoulder and started walking.

The sun was starting to shine through the trees, lighting the forest. I made my way to Lincoln's cave, where everyone stood outside while Finn showed everyone else how to use a gun. "Good, you're here," Finn said. "We were just starting." I glanced at Lincoln and noticed he was staring at me. No, not me. He was looking at Bellamy who was standing behind me and to the left. Once all of us got a quick tutorial on what's-what on guns, Finn set up medium sized targets for us to shoot. Octavia went first, followed by Abby. Next was my turn, but, honestly, I didn't want to even touch one. I feel more secure with weapons that I can control with my own strength. Weapons I could count on to work quickly and efficiently. But I stepped up anyway.

Finn handed me the gun and I took it. Was a little heavier than I expected, but nothing I couldn't handle. "Use the sight," Finn said, positioning my hands where they needed to go. "And don't put your finger on the trigger unless you're ready to use it." I nodded and he stepped back behind me a ways. The first shot wasn't that hard. The kickback hardly affected me at all. I handed Finn the gun. "I think I'll just stick with knives," I said. After everyone got it down, we armored up, using Yachara's letter as a guide for what we'll need. "What's a rocket launcher?" I asked no one in particular.

"This," Octavia said, showing me the enormous weapon in her hands. I shook my head at the size and Lincoln walked up to me. He held up what's called a 'hand gun'. "Keep this with you," he said. I almost said 'no' or 'why should i?' but instead, I took it and, as instructed, shoved it in my belt at my lower back. Once we were armored and ready to go, we started toward Mount Weather. The sun was full and up above the trees now, brightening up the forest to it's full light. Octavia walked beside me, carrying the rocket launcher, half way through the trek. She fell into step with me and I could tell she was about to ask a question right before she asked, "What's going on between you and Bellamy?"

"Nothing," I said, shrugging.

"Then why did I catch you two making out?" she asked, and I nearly lost it.

"What? He kissed me, and I would've pulled away if you hadn't said something," I said. "I find your brother extremely repulsive." Not completely true, but I had to say what she wanted to hear. I'm sure Lincoln told her all about me and how I'm a Reaper. She was quiet the rest of the way. We arrived at Mount Weather just after sunset. Lincoln took Finn, Bellamy, and Kane around the mountain to the Calypso entrance, while I took Abby and Octavia to the secret exit. We climbed up the side of the mountain to the flat plain just before the exit. "Stay here and follow the plan," I said. They nodded and I started back down the mountain. "Jade!" I turned and Octavia said, "Watch out for Bellamy, will you?" I nodded and continued down. I hurried to the Calypso entrance and joined the rest of the group.

Lincoln and I then split off to take out the guard posts. Lincoln stopped at the base of his and I kept slinking along the three-story fence until I reached mine. I inhaled and then started climbing the face of the fence. My foot slipped and I gasped. I quickly regained my position on the fence and kept climbing, hoping no one heard that. I made it to the top of the fence and climbed onto the back side of the guard post. It was a small, square booth, with windows in the front and a wall in the back. I climbed up to the roof and dropped to my stomach. From atop the post, I could see all the way outside the fence on the other side. I took a deep breath and looked for a way in.

A window on the right side was propped completely open. I counted to three and then grabbed hold of the edge of the roof and swung into the small building. There was one guard. A man about six feet tall, and wearing a Mount Weather uniform. I dropped to my feet, pulled out my knife, and quietly creeped up behind him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and head. My blade tore through the flesh of his trachea and he dropped to the ground. I quickly opened the door and slid down the ladder to the ground. Calypso was nothing like I imagined. I stared at the rows of houses for a minute and then took off running to the fence, where Caleb was letting in Finn, Bellamy, and Kane. Lincoln slid down from a guard post just as I was running past and he ran with me to the fence.

Kane was the last one through the fence. After he came through Caleb put the panels back into place. He turned and nodded in my direction. "Jade," he said.

"Caleb," I replied. He walked past me, leading us to the entrance into the mountain. It was what they called a 'garage entrance'. We walked along the fence until we got to a small, square, cement building. There was a silver, metal door that was very wide and very tall. Caleb tapped on it in some kind of code and a second later the door started to rise. Behind the door, a tall guy stood with his arms crossed. The guy looked over our group and then settled his eyes on me. "You Jade?" he asked, jutting his chin in my direction. I crossed my arms. "And you would be?" I asked.

"Adonis. Yachara's brother," he said. Caleb walked past him, bumping his shoulder into Adonis and motioned for everyone to follow. "Come on guys. We don't have all night," he said. Adonis sighed and rolled his eyes as everyone started following Caleb. We followed him down a ramp and into a well-lit tunnel. We followed the tunnel for what seemed like forever until it ended at another garage door. Adonis stepped forward and typed something in on the panel beside the door, causing it to rise on command. We all hurried into a very large bay filled with things I'm told are called 'cars'.

"Alright," I said, stepping in front of the group. "Here's where we split up. Finn and Adonis will go to the eighth to help Yachara and Alex. Lincoln, Kane, you two will go up to the ninth floor to search for MHP." As I spoke, the teams broke off and headed to the elevators and/or the stairs. "I guess we're taking the stairs." I bounded for the stairs with Bellamy trailing behind. We walked into the stair well and looked up. "Which floor are we going to?" he asked.

"Eleven," I said. And started up the stairs. We took them two and a time all the way up to the eleventh floor, not stopping once. I led the way through the door, into a long, white hallway with doors on either side. "Find the room where the guards sleep," I whispered. Bellamy nodded and started checking doors. I started checking the doors he didn't. After looking in half the rooms, I found the guards' bunk. I quietly shut the door and tried to think of someway to lock it. I glanced up at the touch-screen panel beside the door. I sighed and tried my best to use it. Bellamy came up beside me and told me he could do it better, so I moved out of the way and let him try. He successfully locked the door within minutes. "It's locked. Now what?" Bellamy asked, turning toward me.

When he turned, I was looking over his shoulder at the screen, so I was extremely close to him. I stepped back and took a second to think. "Eighth floor," I said, walking back to the stairs. I heard a sigh of annoyance as I started down the stairs. We made it down to the eighth floor. All the doors walking down the hallway that would normally be in our way were open. We made it to the quarantine area where Yachara, who I assume is Alex, Lincoln, and Kane were still unlocking doors. A blonde girl was also unlocking doors. She was barefoot with only a white tank top and shorts. "Hey Princess," Bellamy said, walking past her to another locked door.

I didn't waste time eavesdropping on their conversation. I hurried to a locked door and Alex tossed me a key card. I nodded and he nodded back and I unlocked the door. I pulled open the door and stepped inside. A tall, skinny guy with dark hair, also wearing white clothing, stood just inside the door. "What's going on?" he asked. "Who are you?"

"We're breaking everyone out. My name is Jade; I'm one of the good guys. C'mon," I said. I stepped back and ushered him into the hall. "I'm Jasper," he said, as I walked into the hall with him. "I don't think I've ever seen you before."

"I'm a grounder," I said, opening the cell door next to Jasper's cell. I glanced at him and noticed he looked at me warily. I pulled open the door and ushered another kid into the hallway. Everyone continued this process until all of them were out. The next task is getting them all out alive.


	13. 23 Breakout Day Part 2

I opened door after door and there were still more locked doors. It was like the number never changed. Suddenly Yachara started walking down the hall in the opposite direction. I sent Bellamy a look and gestured in Yachara's direction before following after her. Where she was headed, I had no idea. But I was following her. She unlocked a door farther down the hall and walked inside. I entered the room and stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of the cell's holder.

Anya sat in the corner of the room, in shadow. The room was way darker than the others. "_What _are you _doing_?" I asked. Yachara turned and looked at me like she knew I was following her the whole time, _let_ me follower her. "We're taking her with us," she said. Anger boiled inside me. "No," I said, firmly. "She stays here." Just then, Lincoln walked in behind us. He stood next to me with an unreadable expression. Yachara stared at him. "You know, don't you?"

"Know what?" I asked, glancing between them. Lincoln nodded and I became extremely confused. And it wasn't like me to be confused. "Will someone tell me what's going on? Or do I have to _beat_ it out of one of you?" it was quiet for a minute. A silent something passed between him and Yachara. "Anya's your mother," Lincoln told me. I blinked. What? Where'd he get that from? Yachara also had the same expression. I took a step back. "My mother is not Anya," I said, flatly.

"When you were a baby, Anya came to me and told me to get rid of you," he said. "So I took you to the Reapers."

"But Anya's not her mom," Yachara said.

"Then why-"

Anya said, "She's still alive? Can you do anything right, Lincoln? I am not her mother. My sister was." I took another step back and shook my head. Anya is Yachara's aunt. Meaning Anya's sister is her mother. If Anya's saying her sister is my mother, too…I inhaled. My lungs felt like they were going to collapse from holding my breath for so long. "We're twins," Yachara said, looking right at me.

"No," I said. "I don't have a sister. You're all wrong." I turned and left the cell. I started back down the hall, toward the other cells. I could not think of this whole sister mix up right now. There were things to be done to get everyone out of Mount Weather. There was no time for stupid things. I know who I am, where I'm from. I won't question that. There were only a few doors left locked so I used my key card to open one. I pulled open the door and stepped inside. Sitting on the bed, ripping out an IV, sat a petite brunet girl. She looked up at me as she slid off the bed. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Jade," I replied, gesturing to the door. "Let's go."

"We're getting out?" she asked, in disbelief, walking toward the door. I nodded and ushered her into the hallway. Yachara and Finn were ushering people down the hall in one big sea of white clothing. "I'm Raven," the girl said, pulling her eyes away from the group. "Are you a grounder?" I nodded before pushing her into the crowd. "Follow them out!" I had to shout over the noise; the scuffling of feet and murmurs of disbelief. I went to the next door. I unlocked it just as I felt a hand on my shoulder. Instinctively I squirmed away from the contact and turned to see who grabbed me. "You okay?" it was Bellamy. I sighed and opened the door I unlocked. "Sure," I mumbled, stepping inside. I ushered this cell's occupant out into the moving crowd. That was the last locked cell

The next step is getting out. I slinked along the wall until I bumped into Finn and the blonde girl I saw unlocking doors. "Hey," Finn said. "This is Clarke. The girl you asked about." Clarke's mother was just outside, waiting for us. I could only hope she gets to see her again. "This is Jade. She's a friend of Lincoln's," Finn told her. I rose on my toes to see over the crowd. "C'mon, we need to get in front," I said. I slid past them and made my way to the front of the crowd, with Yachara, Lincoln, Alex, and Kane. Finn and Clarke nudged themselves in behind me.

We made our way down the hall to the elevator. There was only one so we sent them down in groups of eighteen—all that would fit. The first load down, we sent Bellamy and Alex with radios to help coordinate the way to the dungeon. The dungeon was three floors below us. So each group would have to travel down three floors. On our third group down, suddenly the elevator made a screeching sound and the lights hummed momentarily. Yachara held the radio to her lips. "What's going on?"

"_I think the elevator's stuck_!" Jasper's voice came over the radio. He was in the elevator. The small group behind us was starting to get anxious. We had to think, and think fast. But no one knew what to do. I snatched the radio from Yachara, earning a 'what for?' look, and pressed the button on the side. "Alex, where are the elevator controls?" I spoke into it.

"_Uh_," he said. "_On the eleventh floor_."

"Someone has to go up there and get it running," Lincoln said.

"Raven and I can go," Yachara said. I nodded and spoke into the radio, "Raven and Yachara are heading up to fix the elevator." Yachara and Raven took off for the stairs and disappeared into the stair well. We waited for what seemed like forever. And then suddenly the elevator started moving and it roared to life. Cheers echoed up the elevator shaft. Once Yachara and Raven rejoined us, we all moved into the elevator. Yachara stayed out of it and shook her head. "I'll take the stairs," she said. It was only then I noticed the blood on her shirt that obviously wasn't hers, and the deep cut on her forearm. I shrugged and pressed the button for the fifth floor. The doors closed and silence set in as it began descending. "So, Jade, how do you know Lincoln?" Clarke asked, stepping up next to me.

"It's a long story that shouldn't be told right now," I said, as the doors opened. I stepped out into a dark, musty-smelling hallway. Small, torch like lights lit the hall where the rest of the group funneled through. Yachara came out of the stair well next to the elevator a second later. I avoided her by wriggling through the crowd to get to the front. I passed Bellamy, who was ushering kids down a set of steps. Most of the kids were pooling just before the exit. Kane was with the ones pooled at the exit. And Clarke wiggled her way through to stand behind me. Suddenly, a shrill scream echoed behind me and I whipped around.

The doorway to the steps was lined with red beams going from one side to the other, keeping us in and them out. On the floor, on my side of the beams, were pieces of flesh and blood and bone. Someone was pushed through. And by the looks of it he wore a red shirt. I quickly averted my gaze from the mess of steaming body parts and looked up. Yachara, Alex, Lincoln, Bellamy, and a handful of kids were all on the other side. "What do we do now?" Finn asked, looking at me and then Yachara. I stepped around the carnage on the floor and got closer to the lasers. I felt the heat they radiated as I became closer to them.

Yachara stepped up to the lasers on her side. "We'll go up and out. You take them and leave as planned," she said. I nodded and she turned, wiggling through the crowd to talk to Lincoln. Suddenly Bellamy came up to the bars. We both stepped closer to the wall so we wouldn't be heard. "You know, Octavia told me to watch out for you. I can't really do that from this side," I said, quietly. He chuckled and leaned into the wall beside him. "Lincoln told _me_ to watch out for _you_. I can't really do that from this side, either," he said. He blinked, like he remembered something, and then dug into his pocket. He pulled out my mother's necklace.

My hand flew to my neck, wide eyed. It was missing. Where had I lost it? He held it up. "I'm sure we can slip this through the bars somehow…" He stared at the narrow space between the bars. "No," I stopped him. "Keep it for me. You can give it back when we meet up at the Ark." He nodded, looking saddened. He shoved the necklace back into his pocket as the crowd started to move behind him. "May we meet again," he said.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"It's something we said on the Ark," he said.

"May we meet again, then," I said, to which he smiled. His smile didn't quit reach his eyes. I tore my eyes from him and turned to face the group I now led. Suddenly there was a implosion behind the crowd. As the dust started to clear, I could see Abby and Octavia leading people out. I hurried to get to the front of the group and started helping people out as well. I counted everyone as they came out. I had forty-seven, not including Kane, Abby, Clarke, Octavia, or myself. It was pretty much a straight-shot, from here to the Ark. Once everyone was out, I started leading everyone in that direction.


	14. 25 Arriving at the Ark

As we walked, I pulled my hair up into what Octavia called a 'pony tail', leaving my shorter hairs in the front out. The sun was now fully up and I could see the Ark through the trees. Octavia walked up beside me and fell into step with me. "There it is," She said, with an undertone of awe and a hint of disgust.

"Aren't you happy to see it?" I asked. Most of the kids started running up ahead, running all the way to the crowd of people forming at the Ark. "I don't know. Not really, but it's all we've got," she replied.

"How's your leg?" I asked.

"It only hurts a little." I pulled out the piece of cylindrical metal from my pocket and blew into it as Octavia and I stopped walking. It only took a minute for Dakota to gallop down through the trees and slide to a stop near me. He whinnied and bowed down so I could get on. I slid onto his back, feet still on the ground on either side of him. I patted the space behind me and Octavia hesitantly walked closer. I grabbed her arm and helped her on behind me. "Hold on," I said, as Dakota began standing.

Octavia's arms flew around my middle and held on tightly the rest of the way up. I urged Dakota on and we started the trek down a steep hill. Once we made it down, we sped up to a gallop. As we neared the crowd awaiting us, many backed away. Dakota slid to a stop and backed up a few steps.

He could sense that the people were nervous and wary of him. I slid off and then helped Octavia down. I could hear murmurs and whispers, but I did my best to ignore them. Once Octavia was on the ground, I grabbed Dakota's reins and looked around for Yachara and the rest of her group. Mainly I searched the crowd for Bellamy. I felt my heart beat faster as I realized they weren't here, _he_ wasn't here. Clarke walked up to me and sighed. "They aren't here. Did Yachara say anything about where they were going?" she asked. I shook my head and looked at the ground, trying to think.

I glanced up at the group. People from the Ark were hugging their loved ones on the ground. Only a few were, though. I guess no one else had relatives here. I took a deep breath. I searched the crowd and found someone I knew—Jasper. He was talking with a shorter, Asian-looking kid. If I was going to get anything done, I needed someone I knew. I moved around Clarke and walked up to him. "Jasper," I said. He startled and looked at me. "Oh, hey," he nudged the kid next to him. "This is that girl I was telling you about. Jade, was your name, right?" I nodded. "This is Monty," he finished.

"Hi, Monty," I said, trying to act friendly. "Could I borrow Jasper?" he nodded. "Sure," he said. I nodded and grabbed Jasper. I pulled him to an empty space of grass and let go. "We need to get supplies rounded up and counted, and we need wood to start some fires before it gets dark. Can you help me?" he nodded. "Great. Round up three or four kids and get them started on supply inventory," I said.

"Sure thing, boss," he said, before hurrying off to a group of kids. I jogged off into the tree line and unsheathed my knife. I spotted some low branches a few feet away. I stepped under them and started sawing them off the tree. "Need some help?" I didn't bother looking for the owner of the voice. "You got a knife?" I asked.

"Uh…yes."

"Then start cutting, or gather wood from the ground." I cut down four small branches and started carrying them back to the Ark, and it was only then I noticed Jasper had come to help me. I was half way there when I saw figures coming across the clearing. Bellamy, Finn, Lincoln, Adonis, and Alex led a handful of kids toward camp from across the clearing. I felt my eyes welling up with water, seeing both Bellamy and Lincoln alive.

I dropped the wood I was carrying and I ran as fast as my legs would carry me. I clung to Lincoln and he reciprocated quickly. I was crying at that point. I was so happy to see him I could hardly think. I held onto him like my life depended on it. He parted from me only enough to see my face. He wiped away some tears with his thumbs. "I thought I lost you," I said.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said, quietly, pulling me into him. I couldn't believe he would be so willing to even be near me after what I'd said to him. I was mean and hurtful and I was being so stupid. I was so overwhelmed that I hardly noticed that everyone in the group was wet. I stepped back and looked around at the group of people, wiping the tears away. "Why are you guys wet?" I asked. They looked like they were drenched at one point, but had dried mostly by now. "We had to jump off a water fall," Alex said, shrugging like it was no big deal.

"You jumped off a-" I shook my head. "Where'd you go? The nearest waterfall is miles that way." I pointed in the direction behind them. "Where's Yachara?" I asked, glancing at Lincoln and then Bellamy. Both looked uncertain of what to say. "We had to split up. She'll be here soon," Lincoln said, as I watched Bellamy continue on to the Ark. I nodded, only half listening to him. "I'll be right back," I said. I jogged to catch up to Bellamy. "Hey," he said.

"Hey. You have something of mine," I said. He nodded and dug into his pocket. He pulled out my mother's necklace and slowed to a stop as he fiddled with the clasp. I stopped, as well. He unclasped it and then stepped behind me. He put the neckless around my neck and then clasped it. "There you go," he said.

"Thanks," I said. He started walking again. "Bellamy?" He turned and glanced at me with a raised brow. "I'm glad you're not dead," I said, to which he barked a laugh.

"Good to know," he said, smiling. He started back toward the large crowd. Lincoln caught up to me and we walked in together. I stepped aside while Octavia and Lincoln had their reunion, and looked up at the sky. The stars were visible now. The sun was now almost completely gone. I hadn't realized how fast everything was happening until now. I got Clarke and Finn to help with counting weapons, and Bellamy joined in on that voluntarily. After everything was counted, we found we didn't have many guns. We had little to no food either. And barely enough wood to keep tonight's fires going.

We decided to relax for tonight and just focus on be happy everyone got out alive. That was Finn's idea. "Jade! Yo, Jade!" I heard my name and sighed. Jasper, Monty, Raven, and a few other kids were in a group, celebrating their escape by a bon fire. Jasper called for me. He motioned for me to join them. I looked back at the trees. Lincoln said Yachara would be here soon, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to join in on the fun.

I sighed and walked over to the group. Jasper draped an arm over my shoulder and brought me closer to the others in the group. "Guys, this is Jade. One of the grounders that saved us," he said. I heard a booming noise and perked up. Some kids had found things to beat on and were sitting by the side of the Ark, drumming along. "You don't look like a grounder," a guy said. He had dark skin, like Lincoln's. He had to half-shout over the noise of the drums and the sound of celebration amongst everyone. I shrugged. "I'm a different kind," I said.

"The good kind," another guy joked. Everyone in the group except me started chuckling and laughing. I glanced at Raven and she mouthed 'just go with it'. I felt weird, standing there with Jasper's arm around my shoulders and everyone laughing but me. I looked up, past the fire, and caught Bellamy staring at me. He was with Octavia, Lincoln, Alex, Finn, and Clarke, around another fire. He quickly averted his gaze, but I noticed something was different. He wasn't smiling. He looked slightly depressed and he was definitely deflated.

My curiosity was interrupted by worry. Yachara wasn't back yet. Lincoln said 'soon'. What was his definition of 'soon'? I took a deep breath and I realized someone was saying something. "So, Jade, how'd you get roped into breaking us out?" Raven asked.

"Lincoln said he needed help," I said. "So…I helped."

"You two are pretty close, huh?" Jasper said.

"He practically raised me, so yeah. We're close," I said. "Enough about me. Tell me something about you guys."

"I'm supposed to be dead," Raven said, holding up a hand.

"I have a vast knowledge of plants," Monty said.

"Plants? What kind?" I asked. Finally, something I knew about. "Any," he shrugged.

"My mother taught me a lot about medicine and how to use plants. Name a plant and it's use…go," I said.

"Poison Sumac," Monty said. "It can be used as a calming agent. Your turn."

"Plantain. Plantain has many constituents that help with wound healing, protecting the liver, and even fighting off wound infection by breaking up bacterial bio-films," I said. Monty and I went back and forth for a while. I bested him with my speech on the medicinal uses of the Dandelion, making my score six and his four—according to the group. After a while, I said, "So, why were you guys sent down here?"

"To find out if we could survive here again," the dark-skinned kid said. "We were the prisoners on the Ark. It wasn't much of a life anyways."

"Prisoners? What did you do?" I asked. That lead to the deep confessions of what got each of them arrested. Apparently, Jasper and Monty were busted for drug manufacturing. Raven wasn't even arrested. And both of the other two kids in the group were arrested for breaking and entering. "Have you ever committed a crime?" Monty asked.

"According to Grounder law? Yes. Many," I said.

"How many people have you killed?" one kid asked.

"Don't tell anyone this," I said, unzipping my jacket. Jasper removed his arm from my shoulders and I slid out of the left side of my jacket. "But I secretly keep track." I pulled up my sleeve, revealing small cylindrical burn marks trailing up my arm. "All of the warriors do this. To them, it's a sign of bravery and it gives them a sense of pride. My people don't typically do this. But I wanted to see how many lives I actually take," I explained.

I left them visible long enough for everyone to get a good look and then dropped my sleeve. I pulled my jacket on and zipped it up. "You should hold a class or something," Raven suggested. "You could teach us how to fight, Grounder-style." Everyone agreed and I considered it. I wouldn't even know what to say or do.

After a while of talking I decided to get some sleep. It was really late and I was really tired. I parted from them and wiggled through random groups of people. Some random person handed me what they called a sleeping bag, and I found an empty patch of grass to unroll it on. I slipped into the sleep bag and looked up at the stars. Wherever Yachara was, I prayed she was safe. I rolled over, opposite the noise, and tried closing my eyes. I fell asleep instantly.


	15. 27 Unexpected Delivery

I was on my stomach, sleeping peacefully, when someone shook me. "Jade," a familiar voice and another good shake. "Jade, wake up." I recognized the voice to be Lincoln's. He was probably the only person insane enough to try and wake me up. I rolled onto my back with a sigh. It looked like it was almost midday already. I sat up and looked around. Clusters of people were sitting every now and then several feet away. No one looked very lively. "Good morning, or should I say 'afternoon'?" Lincoln said.

"Morning," I said. "It makes me feel like I didn't sleep in." I stood and stretched for a minute. I noticed Dakota was grazing a little ways from my sleeping bag, towards the trees. The sight of my horse made me smile a bit. I followed Lincoln toward the Ark, where buckets were overflowing with apples, berries, and nuts. I grabbed an apple on the way to wherever Lincoln was taking me. I took a bite and looked around for Yachara. Still, she wasn't here. As Lincoln and I walked across the clearing to a group of familiar faces, there was a holler. I looked around for the owner of the sound. A group of kids were taking off their clothes and jumping into the lake.

Something deep inside me wanted to go with them. I looked at Lincoln, giving into the urge. I asked with my eyes and he sighed. He nodded. "Be careful," he said. I smiled and tossed my apple. I walked over to the group. The group was made up of five unfamiliar people, Jasper, Adonis, Raven, and Finn. Finn, Alex, and Bellamy stood on the sidelines, watching. "Room for one more?" I asked, walking up behind Jasper. He spun around and smiled when he saw me. "Yeah, come on in," he said. I noticed they had made a small wooden diving platform. I briefly wondered how sturdy it was as I undressed down to my tank top and underwear.

Most of the kids had jumped in already. Adonis took off his shirt and walked onto the platform. I couldn't help but notice the familiar tattoo on his left shoulder blade. It was an unknown shape, a vine going down and then curving upward. I made a mental note to ask him about it later. I felt a jerk on my arm and looked away from Adonis's tattoo to find Raven pulling me toward the water. "Come on! Your turn," she said. I took a deep breath and looked at the platform, which was no longer occupied. I stepped out onto it and found it was actually pretty secure. I stepped back a little and then lunged forward, jumping into the water with my knees pulled up to my chest.

I sunk down into the water and hurriedly surfaced, as the water was extremely cold. I surfaced with a gasp and found Jasper was cheering/laughing a little ways to the right of me. I made my way closer to him and then jumped on him, taking him down into the water with me. "Whoa!" he said, as he tumbled backwards. I couldn't help but laugh as I surfaced. I glanced up at the bank, only to find Bellamy had gone. My happiness wavered, my bravery dwindled, and I felt the need to find him. "You okay?" Jasper asked, wiping water from his face. I nodded. "Yeah…I'm fine," I said.

"Good," he said, smiling mischievously. He swooped down and picked me up, holding me so that I was lying on his shoulders. He spun around and I laughed, causing him to laugh. I was beginning to like this kid. After spinning, he tossed me into the water. I surfaced to find Octavia beckoning me on the bank. I pulled myself out of the water and started putting my clothes back on. "We're going to discuss what to do," she said. I nodded and waved to Jasper, to which he waved back. Octavia led me to where Abby, Kane, Clarke, Bellamy, and Lincoln were in a group on the other side of the Ark. Octavia pulled me into the huddle, in between Kane and Clarke. "How well equipped are these Mountain Men?" Abby asked.

"Guards on every floor, weapons out the wazoo, and an army that could cover the entire east coast," Alex said, with arms crossed over his chest, a mimic to Bellamy's position. I looked at Lincoln and he glanced at me at the same time. He smiled without teeth. It caught me a little off guard but I smiled fully back at him. "Jade? Thoughts?" I snapped up to see Clarke talking to me. "What are your thoughts?" I assume she's asked me that three times already. I inhaled, hummed, and answered. "I propose we make this a settlement. Build a wall, and not some cheap knock off like you built the first time, but a real wall. A secure wall. Something that could contend with not only weather and Grounders, but the Mountain Men as well," I said.

"A cheap knock off?" Bellamy repeated my words as he turned half way, looking at me with narrowed eyes.

"All in favor of Jade's plan, show of hands," Kane said, ignoring the fact that Bellamy said something. Slowly, everyone put at least one hand up. "Clarke and Raven can survey the area and plan where to build the wall," Abby said. Everyone agreed to that. "Next, I think Jade should be in charge of training our warriors, our fighters," Clarke said.

"The kids would take the training and instruction better form someone closer to their age. And they do seem to like her," Lincoln said.

"What do you think, Jade?" Kane asked, turning slightly to see me.

"I think if the kids were willing I could do something to make them fighters. I'm not a miracle worker, but I could try," I said, to which Bellamy scoffed. I crossed my arms and turned toward him. "What?" I spat.

"You keep dissing what we've done. You act like we aren't capable of preparing ourselves. Oh, and, by the way, we built that wall with all that we had," he said, angry and annoyed, before storming off. I had half a mind to go after him and keep arguing. But Octavia grabbed my arm and said, "Don't listen to him. It's just his time of the month again." I couldn't help but laugh at that. Even I knew what that meant. After we broke our huddle, it was getting dark. I sat on my sleeping bag and watched Clarke and Raven plot out where the wall should go.

Just then, Bellamy and Finn walked into the clearing from the tree line, carrying arm loads of long branches. They dropped them in a pile, where three kids were prepping the branches to build. I watched Bellamy's every move as he dropped his branches and headed back for the trees. He seemed different. Distant. Every muscle in his body was wound tightly. I sighed through my nose and stood. Apparently Lincoln had gone hunting and gathering this morning. Two kids were in charge of cooking a deer Lincoln brought back from hunting today. I helped start a fire and then I helped them set up a spit, the whole time telling them how to do it. And they actually seemed interested.

Several more fires were lit. Around the fires were groups of people, some sitting and some standing. Once the deer was cooked and distributed, I searched through the people to find Jasper. I zipped my jacket up all the way to my neck and headed over that way. An icy wind cut right through my jacket, causing me to shiver. I looked around at the different groups of people. Suddenly a hand flew up from the farthest fire. The hand was attached to the skinniest arm I'd ever seen. "Jade! Over here!" it was Jasper.

How could he even see me from over here? Everyone in his group was sitting, so I came over and sat beside Jasper. Everyone was talking and laughing as I searched the groups of people at fires, searching for one face. I found Bellamy, three fires away. I stared at him for what seemed like an eternity and he didn't even so much as glance in my direction, not even once. What had changed to make him so mean? He's turned back into the jerk I saw when I gave him the pain relieving leaves. I felt a stabbing pain in my chest and a low feeling in my stomach and I stood. "I think I'm gonna get some sleep," I announced.

"Oh, okay. Are you feeling alright?" Jasper asked. I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired," I replied.

"See you later, then?" Jasper said.

"Yeah," I said, trying to smile at him. I started walking through the aisle of fires until I found Adonis. "Hey," I said, standing next to him. He was quiet a minute. And then said, "What do you want?"

"Where'd you get your tattoo?" I asked, flatly. He snorted. "What do you care?" he asked, sending me a sideways glance.

"I have the same one," I said, quietly. Keeping my voice down seemed like the only way to keep myself from exploding with emotion. Either exploding or breaking down in tears. "That's probably because we're related," he said, like I should've known this already. "It's the Jacobsen family crest. A 'J'." I nodded briefly before walking around him and out towards the trees. I felt a lump in my throat and I looked at Bellamy as I passed the fire in which he stood by. I caught his eyes for a second. Something flashed across his face and I looked away. That was enough to do me in. I walked into the tree line and then broke into a run.

I ran as far as I could, crying like a baby. I finally stopped, breathing heavily, tears streaming my face. Suddenly everything clicked. Everything made sense. Lincoln's story about giving me to the Reapers, Anya confirming it seconds later, all the years I spent not fully knowing why Lincoln kept me at an arm's distance, why it was impossible to ask questions.

How could this be? I was _not_ a Jacobsen, for crying out loud! I dropped to my knees and sobbed. All of the emotion from Bellamy being a jerk and ignoring me and from my heritage being questioned repeatedly and from my unresolved fight with Lincoln just came flooding out. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. I couldn't deny the truth, either. I know Lincoln. He wouldn't lie to me about something like this. Anya and Adonis confirmed it. And Yachara and the tattoo are proof. I felt my neck and found my mother's necklace.

I ripped it from my neck and stared at it as it lay in my palm. Anger boiled inside me. I wound my arm back and threw the necklace into the bushes with a scream of frustration, getting it as far away from me as I could possibly get it. I didn't want it. It was never truly _my_ mother's. I don't care who _KC_ is or what relation they are to me. My whole life has been a lie, and I've had enough. I'm done pretending. Suddenly my train of thought was interrupted by a low rumble. I quickly stood. The sound was getting closer and louder. Something was coming. Then, up above me, a big, black, flying machine sped across the sky. It was headed toward camp.

I turned and ran as fast as I could. When I broke through the tree line, the flying machines came into view. They were big, black, and oddly shaped. I'd never seen anything like it. I think I remember seeing one in the garage in Mount Weather. But I'm not sure. Then crates fell from the machines. My first thought was _bombs_. But they didn't explode. They hit the ground and tumbled, before settling into a spot on the grass. Some people were running every which way, and I noticed most people piled into the Ark. They thought it was an attack. Six or seven crates dropped and then the machine flew away. The noise stopped a few minutes after they disappeared. Then suddenly everyone came flooding out of the Ark, looking around, and expecting damage.

I made my way to one of the crates. It wasn't very large but it was big and wooden. It said 'Mount Weather food storage' on the side, stamped in black ink. I pull out my knife and shoved the blade in between the box and it's lid, right in the crease. I pried the lid off the side of the box and metal cans started tumbling out of it. "Why did they drop these?" Octavia asked, standing beside me. She picked up a can and read the label. "The best buy date is years old," she said, wrinkling her nose.

"Who's idea was this?" Finn asked, looking at a crate a few feet from the one I stood by. I shook my head. I had no idea.


	16. 29 Can't Handle This Heat

I rested my fists on my hips as I looked over the dazzling group of kids known as my trainees. It was barely sunrise, and everyone let me know it. I was given five volunteers: three guys, Leo, Barnes, and George, and then two girls, Madison and Rachel. Octavia would have joined us but her leg isn't ready for it yet. "Have any of you done much exercise?" I asked. The group looked amongst themselves and then collectively shook their heads. I sighed.

This would make it so much harder. "Okay then…" I said. "I guess we'll have to learn the basics first then. We'll start off with a light run. Let's go." I made sure everyone was following before I started into the trees. We ran a mile or so out and then stopped for a break near a river. Everyone was breathing heavily except me. "Don't worry, tomorrow we'll be better," I assured everyone.

"We're doing this again?" Rachel asked, sitting on a rock. I nodded slowly. "Yeah, didn't someone tell you this? The first step is being physically fit. Then we work on your fighting skills," I said. "Will that be a problem?" she shook her head and stood. "Let's keep going," she said. I nodded and we started running back to camp. Once we were back, I stopped everyone just after the tree line. "Next, we're going to work out your upper body," I said. I found a branch low enough and sturdy enough.

I jumped up and latched onto it. "Like this." I pulled myself up so that my chin was just above the branch for a demonstration and then dropped to the ground. I started Leo on that branch, and then found a branch for two others. And while they were doing that I had Madison and George doing a mix of push-ups and jumping jack's.

I had them all on a rotation so they weren't doing one thing for too long. Octavia walked over to me, where I stood watching my trainees work out. "How are they doing?" she asked. I shrugged. "Average," I said.

"Don't work them too hard," she said.

"Me, too hard? Never." She laughed and playfully hit me in the arm. She was quiet for a minute. And then she said, "Jasper's been talking about you. It's driving Bellamy up the wall." I chuckled under a breath. "Good," I mumbled. Training went on until the sun was fully above the trees, and then my trainees were free to go. Octavia and I went to check on how the wall was progressing. I got bored standing around watching everyone else doing things to help. I told Clarke I needed something to do, so she set me up with a job to help build the wall.

We laid out preliminary lines with sticks all around in one giant circle. The circle went about sixty yards out in each direction. I dropped my jacket with my sleeping bag and walked over to the wall. One of the kids helping with the wall got me started with weaving vine-rope in with a section of the wall that was already almost six feet tall. It wasn't a big job, but it was something.

While I weaved the rope in with the wood and other materials, I watched Finn and Bellamy carry wood from the tree line, where kids were cutting branches, and then drop them near the fence. If Bellamy was going to ignore me I think it's only fitting that I ignore him in return. But I'm not strong enough to do so. I sighed and pulled my eyes away from him and tried focusing on the task at hand. "He's hard to ignore, isn't he?" Octavia said, plopping down beside me with an apple in hand. She took a bite and I wondered if she could read minds. "Who, Bellamy? Are you kidding?" I asked.

"What happened with you guys, anyway? One day you were kissing and the next you were back to being at each other's throats," she said, watching the boys carry wood. I thought about the question. What had happened? Obviously he had enough feelings for me to kiss me. I shrugged. "I told him I wasn't interested," I lied. She looked at me like I was crazy. "What? Why?"

"Because I'm not…?" I lied again.

"That's not true," she said, calling my bluff.

"He's a jerk—no offense—and not my type. I don't want to be with someone like that, who can turn on you in a second. It's like he's bipolar or something," I said. Octavia nodded in agreeance, but still opposed my 'not interested' excuse. A minute later, Finn and Bellamy traded out with two other kids. Finn went toward Clarke and Bellamy came over to Octavia. "How's your leg?" he asked her.

"Fine, thanks to Jade," she said. I refused to look in their direction while he was standing there. It was quiet for a minute before I heard him walk off. I glanced at Octavia and saw the remainder of whatever look she'd given him before he walked away. "What an-" she began to say. She stopped talking when Finn and Clarke walked over to us. "Hey," she said, instead of whatever she was going to say.

"Hey," Clarke said. "How's it coming?"

"It's coming," I said.

"We're gonna start building onto this," Finn said. I nodded and he went to get his helpers. "Everything okay?" Clarke asked, glancing between Octavia and i. I wasn't going to say anything. But Octavia couldn't help herself. "Don't worry, we're just observing the native jerk in his natural habitat," Octavia said. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Who?" Clarke asked. "Finn?"

"No," I said.

"Bellamy," Octavia finished. Clarke nodded like she understood. Someone called for her so she walked away, leaving me to actually do my job. It wasn't exciting, but at least I felt like I was helping. Octavia hung around for a while and then disappeared when I wasn't paying attention. Finn, Bellamy, Jasper, and six other guys I didn't know came over to my section of the fence and started to build onto it. They spoke amongst themselves, and some guys spoke to me, but as usual Bellamy didn't even look in my direction. It made me furious. "How's it coming?" I looked up and noticed Jasper and halted the building to ask me that. I felt like I had to reply. "Good. Almost done here," I said.

"Awesome," he nodded, continuing his work. I noticed Bellamy rolling his eyes and I snapped. I stood up and threw the rope I held to the ground. "What is wrong with you? Are you naturally this much of a jerk or do you have to work at it?" I spat. Finn held back a chuckle and Bellamy looked at me for the first time in days. "Well?"

"So I can't be annoyed when building the wall takes second place to you and your boyfriend?" he said. I swore I heard glass breaking or a kitten screaming. My _boyfriend_? Where did he get that? "You really are dumber than you look," I said. "I don't have a boyfriend. And I don't care if it annoys you if someone in this world actually wants to talk to me. Get over yourself." I started walking the other way. I got several feet away before I heard him yell, "He can do better!" I turned and walked backwards, thrusting my arms out at my sides. "What? Can't handle the heat?" I shouted. I had just enough time to see something flash across his eyes before I turned back around.

I pulled out my pony tail as I walked over to where some people were starting to light fires. I helped light them again as it was now almost fully dark, and then Kane declared work was over for the day. Everyone flooded the clearing, surrounding the fires in groups. Some people had lined up at the Ark, where Clarke was handing out rations. Raven, Jasper, Monty, and my usual crew circled my fire. They began what I'm told is called 'shooting the breeze'. "What was going on between you and Bellamy earlier?" Raven asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked, acting like I didn't know.

"It's all over camp," Monty said.

"What is?" I asked.

"You and Bellamy," Jasper said.

"Yeah, they're calling you guys 'Bellade'. For, you know, you're couple name," Raven said.

"Couple name? We're not a couple. I hate him," I said, sending a glare at Bellamy's back, at another fire. I quickly changed the subject by asking how everyone's day was. I couldn't keep my mind from wondering across the field to Bellamy. What was he thinking when I said what I'd said? I thought back to the waterfall, the morning of breakout day. He'd been so different then. He'd kissed me. But, then again, he hardly knew me back then. He still hardly knows me. I hardly know him. And yet for some reason I can't stop thinking about him, can't stop looking at him. "I'm gonna get some sleep," I said.

"Uh, J-jade could I talk to you?" Jasper asked, as I started walking toward my sleeping bag. He fell into step beside me. "Sure," I said.

"About what Bellamy said, I want you to know I think of you as a friend, nothing more-" he began.

"It's okay, Jasper. He's just saying what he thinks he needs to say to make himself feel better," I said. He nodded and we stopped walking a few feet from my sleeping bag. "You think I'm your friend?" I asked. His eyes met mine and then nervously fluttered away. "Yeah, well, you know-"

"It's fine. We can be friends," I suggested. "I'm sorry you got dragged into my mess with Bellamy. Trust me, it won't happen again. And if he tries…well, let's just say that being friends with me has it's perks." He laughed at that, and I smiled. I like making him laugh. It feels good. "Good night," I said.

"Good night," he nodded, before walking back toward the fires. I crawled into my sleeping bag and tried to sleep, and again fell asleep mid-thought.


	17. 31 Reaper Killings

I'm sitting next to the tenth victim, supposedly chosen at random, examining the body. It was hard to look past all the blood. But what I discovered was this: the kid, a boy, didn't die from the blunt force trauma to the back of his head. He died from the forty-three stab wounds in his abdomen. He bled out quickly once the killer hit something vital. "Learn anything new?" Kane asked, walking up to me, still knelt by the kid. I stared at the boy's closed eyes. I wondered how much time he had to comprehend the fact that he was about to die before he was hit in the back of the head and then stabbed to death. I wondered if he had time to make peace with whatever god he prayed to before he died. "Jade? Answers?"

"Gather everyone. We need to talk," I said, standing. I removed the skin tight, latex gloves I was given by one of the Mountain Men that came with Yachara and Caleb. A minute later Kane had gathered Clarke, Yachara, Caleb, Bellamy, Alex, and Adonis. "What is it?" Bellamy asked, annoyed. I crossed my arms and faced the group. I tried to keep my voice down. Didn't want the kids building the wall to overhear something. "The killer is male, in his early to mid-twenties. And I think I know who it is," I said. Just then, Lincoln joined the group. I looked at him and he got my message. "Reapers," he said.

"Not just any Reaper…" I took a deep, shaky breath. I breathed out and let the air rattle through my bones. "It's an old, uh, enemy I guess, of mine. Atatika." The demeanor of everyone in the group suddenly shifted. They no longer feared for themselves. They feared for me. I saw it in the way they looked at me. I felt my stomach churn as I glanced down at the boy. "Jade, are you alright? You look a bit green," Clarke said.

"I'm fine. I'll be right back," I said. I turned and walked across the clearing. I seriously felt like I was about to retch, but it felt different. It wasn't nausea. It was guilt. I hurried into the trees and went several yards before stopping. Even though it was mainly guilt in my stomach, I retched anyway. The guilt didn't come up with the bile, it didn't leave me. Instead it intensified. "Jade," the voice was Lincoln's. I knew it. It sounded sympathetic. I stood from where I'd knelt and tears burst from my eyes. "It's because of me. They died because of me!" I turned toward him. His eyes were sad, but understanding. "How old was that kid? Sixteen, seventeen? What was his name? I don't even know, and yet he died because of me!"

He came forward and immediately pulled me into his arms, where I sobbed relentlessly. "It's all…because…of me," I said, between sobs. "He wants me." he stroked my hair—something he did when I was little to calm me—and held me tighter. It seemed like no matter what I did or said to him he was still always there when I needed him. Knowing that made me feel worse. I've done nothing to deserve him. And yet here he is, comforting me when I feel like dying. "We'll figure this out," he said.

"There's nothing to figure out. Atatika wants to kill me for what I did. And he wants me to suffer."

"Since when do you give your enemies what they want?" I had to laugh a little. I felt even guiltier for laughing. "It will be okay, Jade." I nodded against his chest and stepped away. I took a few deep breaths in an attempt to stop the tears from falling. I forced them away with one thought, the thought of killing the man who killed all those kids. I wiped away my tears, guilt and fear turning into anger and a want for revenge. I sniffled and then let Lincoln take me back to camp with his arm around me. We rejoined the group. "Let me be clear, so ten people were killed because someone wants to make Jade suffer before he makes his way to her?" Kane said. I nodded and so did Lincoln. "She needs to be under twenty-four hour surveillance," Bellamy said. "We need to have someone with her at all times."

I stared at Bellamy, utterly shocked. "Why do you care?" I spat. He didn't respond and that angered me. Lincoln's arm tightened around me. He could sense my want to act. "You would be better off without me, happy even. So what's stopping you from just letting him kill me?" again, Bellamy didn't respond. He momentarily closed his eyes, as if the words physically hurt. "I agree with Bellamy," Lincoln said.

"And," Alex said. "If we have someone with her, we might just catch this Atatika guy."

"Why does he want to kill you?" Adonis asked, jutting his chin in my direction. "Did you forget to feed his fish?"

"That's not important," Lincoln cut in.

"Oh c'mon. We should know why these people are dying," Adonis said, walking toward me. He got to a foot from me and crossed his arms, staring me down. "Why does he want you dead?" I kept my mouth sewed shut. It was not something I wanted to talk about. Lincoln knew what happened, and he was more protective over me after I'd first told him. He was stuck to me like glue for several weeks. Lincoln moved slightly in front of me, subtly telling Adonis to back off. Adonis aimed to step closer, try to touch me even, but Bellamy immediately shoved him backwards. "_Back off_!" he growled. That shocked me even more. "Oh yeah? And you'll do what?" Adonis taunted, getting up in Bellamy's face.

Next thing I know, they're in an all-out brawl. Bellamy shoved Adonis against the side of the Ark. Adonis retaliated by slamming his fist into Bellamy's abdomen multiple times, causing him to stumble back a bit. Adonis got the upper hand and landed a fist to Bellamy's jaw. That's when I got angry. I pulled from Lincoln's iron grip. I got in between the two and punched Adonis so hard in the gut that he dropped to his knees, breathless. I then grabbed his head and slammed my knee into his face. It wasn't hard enough to break his nose, just make it bleed. He fell backwards, onto his back. He stared at me with a look of a mixture of two things: bewilderment, and rage. "It's _over_!" I shouted. "And I suggest you stay down." Everyone else looked at me with wide eyes.

For the rest of the day, there were six people guarding me on four hour intervals. My first guard was Lincoln. And now it's Caleb. I looked at him and he tried for a smile. "What's going on with you and my sister?" I asked, sounding totally like I was interrogating him. His happy face faltered for a second. "Well, we-"

"Do you love her?" I asked.

"Yes." He didn't even hesitate. I stared at him a minute longer, making him sweat it out a bit. "Then prove it," I said, in a lower voice. It sounded like I was daring him, and he grinned. "I plan to," he said. I wrinkled my nose and shoved him. "Gross. Spare me the details," I said. He laughed. Then he changed out with the next guard—Jasper. While he was 'guarding me' I decided to make use of my free time by getting in a work out. I left my sweater and my long-sleeved shirt on the ground, while I pulled myself up on a high branch in a tree. I lowered down, and then pulled up. Down and up. Down and up. "You really think this guy is after you?" Jasper asked, from the ground.

"It's the only logical solution. That and I know Atatika's killing style," I said.

"How do you know him?" he asked. I paused, dangling from the branch. "I was one of them. A Reaper," I replied, bitterly. I continued my up and down motions. I imagined the look on his face would be quite troublesome. I looked down and noticed he was looking around nervously. Obviously no one told him that Atatika was a Reaper. Poor guy. I dropped to the ground and slid my shirt back on. He stared at me. "You're a Reaper?" he asked, quietly.

"_Was_ a Reaper," I corrected. "Past participle." I walked back to camp, as it was sunset now. I helped light a fire and everyone quit work for the day. They lined up to get rations and then surrounded the fires, just like every night. No one knew it but a select few. Someone was going to die tonight. And it just might be me. I wasn't hungry so I stood by a fire, staring at the flames. Jasper traded off with Bellamy and I internally groaned. I glanced at him long enough to see the bruise forming on his cheek and the cut on his lower lip. I looked back at the flames and he stood beside me. "Got the short straw, huh?" I said.

"Actually, Lincoln convinced Kane to put me on last watch. Apparently he doesn't think I'm suitable for watching over you," he said. He said that last part bitterly, like he was starting to dislike Lincoln. And it seemed Lincoln was starting to dislike Bellamy. I rubbed my arms as a cold wind blew. I'd forgotten my jacket by the trees. I couldn't go get it, either. Suddenly Bellamy shrugged off his heavy jacket and put it on me. "Thanks," I said, quietly, staring at the flames. He sighed through his nose and crossed his arms. "Why do you hate me?" I couldn't stop myself from asking. He huffed an airy chuckle. "I don't hate you," he said.

"Really? Could've fooled me," I said, looking at him. He rolled his head to look back at me with a familiar look. Like I was being ridiculous. The same look he gave me the morning of Breakout Day. The day he kissed me. I felt the urge to say something, to touch him, but I didn't. I stood still and stared back at him. He looked back at the flames, ignoring the topic for conversation I've chosen. I was about to say something when Raven, Monty, Jasper, and my usual crew joined me at the fire. "Hey guys," I said.

"Hey," Raven said. "Got a new fire buddy?"

"No," I said. "He's my body guard." Everyone gave me a look and I shook my head. "Don't ask," I mumbled. After an awkward hour of conversation, I decided to get some sleep. I walked to my sleeping bag to find it missing. "You're sleeping in a tent, closer to the Ark," Bellamy said, stepping up next to me. I rolled my eyes and told him to take me to my new sleeping spot. It was a small tent; almost right next to the Ark. Inside was my sleeping bag and my jacket. I dropped the flap and took off Bellamy's jacket. I gave it back to him, said goodnight, and then went inside the tent.

I woke up to someone calling my name. Someone stood outside my tent. I stood and pulled on my jacket. By the shadows and the fact there was hardly any light inside, I could tell it was extremely early. I stepped outside the tent as I zipped up my jacket. It was almost cold enough to make my teeth chatter. It was Alex outside my tent. He looked like a wreck. "Come with me," he said.

I followed him to the normal group that's gathered when someone dies. Except Lincoln, Clarke, and Adonis. I noticed Bellamy wasn't here, either. "What happened?" I asked. "Who'd he get this time?" Everyone was quiet for a moment and that scared me. Was it one of my friends? Was it one of my family members? I looked around and the group. I began to panic. "_Who was it_?" I asked, again, the panic in my chest threatening to swallow me completely.

"Adonis."


	18. 33 Murphy Killings

They took Octavia. And now we've identified both men that went on a killing spree. What I want to know is how Atatika got involved with this Murphy guy. Adonis pulled his eyebrows together. "You know him?"

"Yeah, he tried to take over camp. He also killed two people, including a little girl. And he shot Raven," Jasper explained. He shot Raven? Okay, now I'm really angry. "And he tried to kill Bellamy by hanging him." Without meaning to, I glanced at Bellamy. Murphy tried to hang him. Gee, I wonder why. "We have to get Octavia back," he said.

"We can't just go in, guns blazing, and expect to get her back with no casualties," Yachara said.

"I agree," I said. "If Murphy and Atatika are working together, then we may have a bit more of a problem than we originally anticipated."

"Why?" Adonis asked.

"Yeah, why?" Bellamy repeated the question, turning to me as he crossed his arms. "You should know, right? I mean, you were the one he was after in the first place. Or so we thought."

"I didn't mean for any of this to happen," I said.

"Oh yeah? Care to share how you know a Reaper with the group?" He said. I crossed my arms and stepped back. "You know, they were only able to take Octavia because everyone was busy watching _you_! They have my sister and it's your fault!"

"I care about Octavia, too, Bellamy! It's not like I could choose who my family was, I didn't ask for _any_ of _this_! I wanted to walk away, but you and Finn were the ones who needed help! _My_ help!" I took a shaky breath and stepped close to Bellamy, lowering my voice. "Yeah, it may be on me. But it's on you, too." I turned and walked out of the Ark.

I was so furious. Bellamy was such a jerk. He has a right to be mad, but it's not like I chose to get Octavia kidnapped. And I didn't choose for Abby and the others to die. I wish Lincoln was here to help, but instead he's off hunting. But, I have to push my feelings aside. I'm going to get Octavia back, and no one can stop me. I walked to the tent Yachara and I briefly shared, ducked inside. I grabbed my pack and strapped my sheath to my thigh. I dug into my pack and pulled out the hand gun I had in Mount Weather, during Breakout Day. I shoved it in my belt at my lower back and pulled down my jacket to cover it.

I exited the tent as I thought about where they might be hiding Octavia. There's only one place I can think of nearby they could take her to—Yachara's house. Her drop ship in the trees. It's stock piled with thousands of guns and random weapons. They better not be in there. I have to check there first.

I walked across the clearing without anyone important seeing me. I dug into my pack and pulled out a dried flower before slinging it over my shoulder. I strategically placed the flower on a low pine branch and then started walking. It hasn't rained in a while, so the ground isn't soft enough to leave footprints. A snapped branch of a tall bush catches my eye. I walk to the bush and I notice a few swerving divots in the ground. Drag marks. They dragged Octavia. I fought to put out the fire trying to burn inside me as I continued walking.

I followed the trail of occasional drag marks and broken branches. The trail led form the tree line all the way to Yachara's house. I cursed under my breath and duck behind a tree, several feet away. I dropped my pack in a bush next to me and made sure it was hidden. Then, I quickly ran underneath the house. The ladder was gone. They'd probably cut it so no one could follow. I unsheathed my knife and bit the blade between my teeth. I latched onto the thick tree beside the house and began climbing.

As I got higher, I heard voices. One I recognized, the other I didn't. I got up to the first level of the Tree House and straddled a thick branch. There were no windows, nothing I could use to get inside. I'd have to improvise. I climbed higher in the tree until I was at the top of the house. I quietly climbed onto the roof and felt the metal panels. I found what looked like an emergency exit door and grabbed my knife. I slowly slipped the blade in between the door and the metal.

I started to wiggle it back and forth. It created a shrieking sound and I froze. The two voices kept carrying on without a worry. I continued. The panel came loose and I was able to pull it open. No one was on the first level so I dropped in. I landed on my feet with precise silence and walked to the ladder that led down to the next level. I crouched and pulled my hair up and out of my face, banding it into a pony tail. A few short strands hung out but it didn't affect my sight.

I was quiet as I watched. The guy called Murphy was walking around in a nervous pace while Atatika was sitting in the corner. He was sharpening his knife the best he could with one hand, using his knees to help. "I don't know. I don't like this. Killing people was easy to get away with, but kidnapping? They'll find us," Murphy said.

"That's the point, fool," Atatika spat. "I want to draw her out, maybe make her sweat a little."

"You know, what am I even doing here? I got what I wanted," Murphy said.

"Then why don't you leave? Surely you'll survive the long, cold winter nights ahead. And I'm sure the Grounders and Reapers won't try to kill you. The Mountain Men might ignore you, as well," Atatika said, in a mocking tone.

"Really?" Murphy asked, almost believing him.

"No, you buffoon!" Atatika slightly-shouted. "Now shut up!" Murphy frowned and walked to the corner of the room farthest from the door, where Octavia sat, bound at the wrists and ankles, with a piece of tape covering her mouth. Octavia writhed away from him. "Don't worry," Murphy said. "I'm sure your moronic brother will come rescue you soon." And in a dark, quiet voice he said, "And then I'll finally get my revenge." I can't keep calm anymore. I have to kill this guy. I stood up and then stepped off the ledge, into the hole. I landed on my feet in the center of the room. Atatika shot up to his feet in one motion and Murphy turned to me, looking like he was going to pee his pants but was trying to act brave.

Octavia's eyes widened and she struggled against her binds. "Well, well, well…It's been a long time, Jade," Atatika said. "I haven't seen you since you turned me in and your father cut off my arm."

"Good times," I said, playing along. "You look good. Your arm isn't much of a bloody stub anymore." Atatika frowned. "No thanks to you, you little brat."

"I'm not little anymore, am i?" I asked, pulling out my gun and aiming at him.

"Ah, you know how to use a gun. Quit the step up, I must say," he said.

"You're Jade? This is the girl you want dead? Why didn't you just kill her when you had the chance?" Murphy asked, looking from me to Atatika.

"Yeah, why didn't you?" I asked him. Atatika let an angry breath out his nose and he narrowed his eyes at me. "It would have saved so much time." He growled angrily as he lunged at me. I didn't have time to shoot anything so I slammed the handle into his head. He ignored the blow easily and punched me across the cheek. I stumbled backwards into a wall. My hand found the handle of some heavy, red, metal object and I swung it at him. It hit him in the temple and he dropped to the ground, unconscious.

One down. Murphy to go. I wiped the blood from my nose and wiped it on my pants. Murphy pulled a blade and swung at me. I ducked and rolled past him. I got to my feet and headed for Octavia. Suddenly my feet were swept from underneath me and my stomach hit the ground, hard. The wind was knocked out of me and I struggled to get it back. But as I tumbled, I'd slid my knife to Octavia. I glanced up at her and she faintly nodded. Murphy grabbed a fist full of my hair and yanked upward, bringing my ear to his lips. I let out a strangled cry as he did so.

Sparks ignited in my skull. "You really think you can come here alone and get out alive?" he asked, his breath tickling my ear, and not in the good way. "Well you thought wrong." I mustered up all the anger I could and reached up to grab his wrist, the one holding me up. I latched on and twisted hard, snapping his wrist. He cried out and stumbled backwards. He screamed in pain as I rolled over onto my back. Octavia secretly slid me the knife back and I grabbed it as I got to my feet.

I gripped the handle, ready to attack. I hadn't realized it, but Murphy had gotten my gun. He pointed it at me with his good hand, panting. I was breathing hard as well. I took a step forward. A loud ringing pierced my ears and heat ripped through left shoulder. I just barely heard the muffled screams from Octavia. I held still while I slowly touched my shoulder. I pulled back and found my hand coated in warm, sticky blood. My blood. Murphy had shot me. "Hey Octavia, wanna say goodbye before I kill your friend?" Murphy asked, with a raised voice. Octavia stood, freed from her bounds and ripped the tape off. "Murphy, c'mon, don't do this," she pleaded. "Please."

"It's a little too late for that," he replied, bitterly.

"_No_!" Octavia shouted, right before I felt heat rip through my abdomen. The pain was too intense. I dropped to my knees and wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hold myself together. "_No! Jade!_" Atatika was awake now, and he took over holding the gun. Murphy grabbed Octavia and struggled to tie her again. I couldn't hold myself up any longer, nor could I hear anything. The shots were so loud; all I heard was a high pitched buzzing. I fell onto my side and rolled onto my back with a groan. _No. I can't die. Not now_, I thought. I felt arms lift me slightly from underneath my arms and start dragging me.

Pain seared through my shoulder and I cried out. I felt a cool breeze and I squeezed my eyes shut. He was going to drop me out of the Tree House. I felt something small and round hit my side. I grabbed it and tucked in my arms right before the floor fell from underneath me. I felt the wind whipping my hair around. I felt like I was flying. No. Falling. I was falling. Then I hit hard ground and pain rattled my whole body. I rolled for a minute and then stopped, on my back. I slowly opened my eyes. I saw stars. And not the ones in the sky. The dark, blotchy things. I held what was in my arms up to my face so I could see.

It hurt so much to do so, but I did it anyway. I held a grenade. Octavia must've slid it to me without them knowing. I felt dizzy, light head…I was about to pass out. I hurried and pulled the silver, metal pin from the top of the grenade out with my teeth. I threw the grenade far from me, towards the camp. Seconds later, a loud explosion sounded, but it was muffled from my lack of hearing. Dirt sprayed everywhere and a brief pillar of fire erupted towards the sky.

Smoke filled into the sky, high above the trees. I looked up at the stars. The pain was dull now, and my whole body felt numb. I was losing too much blood. No one would make it in time to save me. This is it. This is the end.


	19. 35 I Think I Want You To

The last week has been a bit of a blur. One minute I was sure I was going to die, and the next I'm waking up in the Ark. I mainly slept for the last few days. But today I'm ready to start walking again. Jasper and Clarke stood by as I pushed myself up to sit. A pain shoots up my spine, but I press on. I will not stay one more second lying around when there's work to be done. The wall still needs to be built and I have a training session to get to. I slowly pushed off the make shift bed. As soon as my weight is vertical, I wince and grab my abdomen.

Jasper rushed forward and held me up. I wanted to stand on my own, but I'm glad he caught me before I fell and made a fool of myself. "You're still not completely together," Clarke said. "So keep it simple and easy."

"I got it," I said. I took my weight off Jasper and stood upright. He stood close by in case I was to fall. I took a shaky step. I was a bit wobbly and it hurt to move. But I managed. I slowly made my way outside. The sun wasn't even above the horizon yet. A dewy fog was still settled on the clearing, making people look like dark, blurry blobs. It was extremely cold so I zipped up my jacket with trembling fingers. My movements weren't exactly all there yet. I was shaky and numb most of the time. It was extremely annoying.

I look around and spotted Octavia. I hadn't seen her since Yachara's tree house. She might have visited me once or twice, but I was so out of it that I don't even remember who visited me. I hobbled over in that direction. She was helping to get wood ready to build the wall, along with Raven and Monty. She saw me as I was a few feet away and jumped up. "Jade!" she ran over to me and hugged me tightly. I audibly winced as pain radiated up my stomach, into my shoulder, and she shot backwards. "Oh, I'm so sorry. How are you feeling? Why are you on your feet?" Octavia asked.

"I'm fine. Clarke cleared me to walk today," I said. "How are you?"

"I'm great. Thank you, Jade, for trying to save me," she said.

"It's no big deal. I didn't really do a good job of rescuing you, seeing as I almost died," I said. Raven and Monty stood. They each gave me a light pat on the back and we got to talking about things I'd missed. While they spoke, I looked around for a familiar face. A second later I spotted Bellamy. He was helping Finn with a section of the wall. I noticed his hand was wrapped in a bandage. What had he done while I was out? "Jade," I spun around and Lincoln hugged me. "You're up."

"Yeah. I'll probably be back in bed by tomorrow, though. Clarke's a real stiff," I said. He stepped back and smiled at me. Relief was etched on his features, but concern was written deep within his eyes. "I'm okay," I whispered. He nodded slightly and gave me another hug. "I'm alright."

"I know." He didn't sound like he knew. But eventually he let me go and went to help with the wall. I parted from my friends and found Caleb. He was cutting branches with about five other ex-Mountain Men. "Hey," he said. "You're up. How are you feeling?"

"Like I was hit by a rocket launcher," he chuckled. "Have you seen Yachara?"

"Yeah. She's sorting through cans, around the backside of the Ark," he said.

"Thanks," I said. I turned and made my way to the Ark. Sure enough, Yachara and a few other kids were sorting through the millions of cans we had. They were laughing at the stupid labels on them as they sorted. Yachara glanced up and saw me standing a few feet from her. "Well, look who's finally on her feet," she teased. "What, did you take a detour through Wonderland?" I raised my eye brows. "Never mind."

"Can I help?" I asked. She looked at me weirdly but gave me a job, helping to sort through cans. After about an hour, Octavia came over and switched places with one of the kids. The sun finally started rising up above the trees. A ray of sun hit our group and we all sighed in the heat. The mornings were getting colder and colder. Winter was definitely coming. And soon.

Bellamy came over to our group, supposedly to check on Octavia. "Geez, Bell, I'm fine," Octavia complained, exasperated. "I'm not twelve." He nodded with a blank expression, looking off somewhere else. He then looked at me. "How are you feeling?" he asked me. I fought to keep my jaw from dropping. Did he just speak to me? The world is about to end, I swear. "I'm fine," I said, emotionless, refusing to acknowledge him more than that. I didn't look at him, just stared at the cans I was sorting through. I heard footsteps and looked up to see him walking away.

Yachara shook her head and I frowned. "What?" I spat.

"You're ridiculous," she said.

"No I'm not," I said. She dropped the can she was holding and gave me a look. She stared at me and I stared back, refusing to let her win. "He was beside himself when we all thought you were going to die," she said, suddenly.

"I don't care," I said, staring at the cans in front of me.

"I think you do," she said. "You both need to stop being stupid and make up already."

"Uh, you mean make _out_," Octavia playfully corrected.

"He hates me," I said.

"No he doesn't, Jade. He's in love with you," Yachara said. I rolled my eyes. He was not in love with me. It was obvious he wanted nothing to do with me most of the time. I painfully stood. "I'm going…somewhere else," I announced. I walked around the side of the Ark and into my tent. I lay on top of my sleeping bag and closed my eyes. What felt like seconds later, I heard a "Jade?" from outside the tent. I knew it was dark outside, based on the shadows of whoever was standing outside my tent. I slowly brought myself up to stand and then opened the flap. It was Bellamy.

I sighed and stepped out of the tent. I crossed my arms. "What do you want?" I asked.

"I need to talk to you. In private," he said. I reluctantly followed him to the tree line. We walked through the trees and went several yards in. he finally stopped walking, and so I did too. He kept his back to me for a few seconds and then spun around to face me. "I'm sorry," he said. Even in the dark I could tell he was grief-stricken. I suddenly felt guilty for making him feel anything but happy. It's a stupid thing to feel, but I felt it.

"I know you deserve better than me. You deserve someone who's not a complete and total jerk all the time, someone who will put you first and give you all their time. I…I pushed you away. I thought maybe if you thought I hated you, you would find someone else. But then I was angry that you were with someone else."

"Jasper…" he nodded.

"I've been such an idiot, Jade. I told myself I didn't care about you, but all I could do was care. And when I saw you out there in the woods bleeding, fighting for your life, I…It made me realize a lot of things," he said. I crossed my arms and looked away. If I looked at him any longer I might just think he was telling the truth. I feel a lump in my throat and the girl inside me is screaming at me, telling me he's not lying. I feel a tug at my stomach and a mess of butterflies, swarming, threatening to swallow me whole.

I take a shaky breath. The heat fogs in the crisp, cold air. "So, all you said and did…you were acting?" my voiced cracked on the last word. I looked up at him and his eyes met mine. He nodded. "When…" I took a deep breath. "When you kissed me. Was that real?" he didn't hesitate to nod. "Yes," he said. His tone and the way his face remained slightly sorrowful let me know he was being cautious. He was about to cower away like a puppy when it's done something wrong.

He was ready for rejection. He expected it from me. "Bellamy…I don't know…" I fought to keep my voice even. I felt the urge to touch him, let him know everything was okay. But I didn't. "How do I know I can trust you, how do I know you aren't lying?" His expression changed slightly as he stepped close to me. I could feel his breath on my face. He tipped his head down and rested his forehead against mine. I closed my eyes at the contact. I felt the old embers in my chest start to ignite once more.

I'd never felt this before, whatever this is. "Jade," I opened my eyes only to find his staring into mine. "I think I love you." My heart fluttered. I was shaking, but it wasn't from the icy weather. Slowly, he leaned down and connected his lips with mine. My stomach dropped and I felt goose bumps prickle my arms. I would never openly admit it, but Bellamy was my first kiss. I'd seen a kiss a thousand times. I always wondered what that would feel like. I briefly wonder if this is it. If this truly is love, or just our hearts playing tricks on us. I pulled apart for a second. "I think I want you too," I said, breathless.

He reached down and picked me up, bridal style. He kissed me again. Our lips moved in sync and it seemed like everything around us melted away into nothingness, and the only thing left was us. I couldn't feel any pain in my wounds anymore. I pulled back to catch my breath I laid my head on his shoulder. His cheek rested on mine. "I missed you," I said, quietly. "I missed _this_ side of you."

"I know. I'm sorry," he whispered. "I promise you'll see a lot more of him."

(Three weeks later; Jade's POV)

I was almost back to normal. Almost. I still had a small bandage on my shoulder, but the wound on my stomach was practically healed. My shoulder twinged as I spoke with Bellamy in my tent. He instantly looked concerned. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. It just hurts every now and then. Back to the conversation," I said. "Girls don't like a guy that can't concentrate." He chuckled but continued on speaking. We'd been talking a lot since our first real kiss. The first step to our relationship was getting to know each other. Bellamy and I had both agreed on that. We said we'd take things slow and see where it goes. Hardly anyone knew about us.

Just Yachara and maybe Octavia. I don't think Lincoln knew, though. We would talk out with everyone else, but then we'd have to talk to other people at the same time. I want to talk to just Bellamy. One on one, no distractions. "So, anyway, I was almost on the Guard until Octavia was arrested. Then my mother was floated and things kind of fell apart. I was a janitor after that," he said.

"A janitor cleans things…right?" I asked. He nodded with a smile. "Right," he said.

"Well, the Ark sounds terrible," I said.

"How was life down on the ground?" he asked.

"Just about the same," I said. I'd told Bellamy I was raised as a Reaper several days ago. He'd taken it surprisingly well, and he still wanted to spend time with me. I explained to him the confusing story of my existence and how I had three siblings. He understood that, too. "We didn't really have food handed to us. We had to find it. And I never really got out of the cave much. I didn't see the sun until I was eight, when I ran away," I said. "But it is beautiful down here."

"Yes, you are…" he said.

"Bellamy. Stop," I said, tilting my head.

"It's true. And I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasures of saying true things," he said.

"Where'd you get that, a poetry book?" I asked, teasing. He smiled, then leaned forward and kissed me. I leaned into the kiss, slipping my fingers through his dark curls. He gripped my hips and pulled me forward, onto his lap. "Easy, Bellamy," I said, pulling back. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." He kissed me lightly and rested his forehead against mine. Our noses touched slightly. "Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. I didn't know what to think about this. Of course I care about Bellamy. I think he could sense me second guessing myself and my feelings. He cupped my face with his hands and looked me in the eye. "Jade, since when do you cower to fear?" he said.

"I don't. Fear cowers to me," I said, with a small smile.

"That's my girl," he smiled.

The next morning, I changed from my light long-sleeved shirt, to my thick black sweater. It was extremely cold this morning. Colder than the past mornings, actually. I stood and only then did I notice the patch of whitish-pink on my tent floor. Yachara was still sleeping in the sleeping bag on the other side of the tent. I hadn't notice her come in last night she was so quiet.

I quietly reached down and picked up a Jade Flower. _Bellamy_, I thought. I quietly and carefully opened the tent flap and stepped outside. I zipped it up and then pulled on my jacket. The grass was covered in frost and fog filled the clearing again.

There was one fire lit, where Lincoln sat. He was elected to be on first watch this morning, I guess. Again. I waved to him as I started for the trees. I walked several yards in and stopped. I heard a branch snap and froze. Suddenly I was spun around and was pinned against the tree behind me. Bellamy kissed me lightly a smiled. "Morning," he said.

"How early did you get up to come out here?" I asked, teasingly.

"I hardly get any time alone with you anymore," he said.

"Well, we're alone now," I said. I rose up on my toes and pressed my lips to his. He kissed me back deeply and I pushed down on his shoulders, jumping up and wrapping my legs around his waist. After a minute, I pulled away. "Okay. Now I have to go," I said. Bellamy groaned but let me go. I started off with a light jog, until I was at the half way mark. Then I broke into a run. I ran to the stopping point, a small stream, and skidded to a stop. I was slightly panting. My sweat was practically freezing to my skin.

Then, suddenly, a loud sound rang out. Birds flew out of the trees, screaming. Another sound rang out. It sounded like a gun shot, and it was coming from the direction of the Ark. I broke into a full out sprint towards camp. As I got closer I heard another gun shot and some screaming. Human screaming. I ran faster. I ran so fast I felt like my legs were going to fall off when I was mid-stride. I skid to a stop right before the clearing. Mountain Men were leading people away at gun point on the other side of the clearing while other Mountain Men were shooting anyone who tried to stop them.

The Mountain Men disappeared with their captives, and then all of them ran into the trees. After counting to fifteen, I took off towards the ark. I passed several dead bodies. I ran to a group I saw that consisted of Clarke, Finn, Monty, and Octavia. I skidded to stop in the gap between group members. They were huddled around a dead body. I looked to see who it was. It was Raven. "Oh no…" I barely got the words out. I was panting form the run and now I was full of adrenaline. I cursed.

I looked around and spotted Caleb and Yachara, standing by the Ark. I ran to them. "What happened?" I shouted.

"I don't know...it all happened so fast…" Caleb said. I then noticed he was holding a towel to the back of his head. "It was the Mountain Men. They took twenty…twenty five people?" Yachara said. I turned around to look at the chaos. People were gathered around various bodies, some crying, some screaming, and some doing both. "Jade…" I spun and looked at Yachara.

"What?" I asked.

"They took Bellamy."


	20. 37 Reinforcements

They took Bellamy. My biological father kidnapped my boyfriend. Does that sound right to you? I didn't think so. I knelt by the stream, a ways away from camp, and splashed water on my face. It's late. The moon is fully up and the forest is dark. A string of glowing fungus splotches a few trees to my right. I dry off my face with my sleeve. The heat fogs in the chilling air as I let out a breath, quick and light. I drop to my knees and close my eyes. They took him. The reality of it all hits me like a ton of bricks and I nearly break down right there.

I try to hold it back at first. But, once I realize it's futile, I give up and let the tears burn down my cheeks. I'm sad and angry and confused all at the same time. I don't know which feeling to suppress and which one to _ex_press. They're ever present in my stomach. The pain stabs my heart like a thousand knives and I scream, loud and anger-filled. I grab my hair, my hands threatening to rip out the strands. I'm shaking now. Not cold shaking, but angry shaking. I scream again, longer this time. It makes me feel better on the anger side of things, but the sad and confused side of the pain is still there.

"Jade?" I heard a voice and turned away, wiping away the tears. "You okay?" I looked up and see it is Alex. My half-brother. I looked down at the stream and shrugged. "Am I supposed to be?" I asked.

"No," He said, sitting down beside me.

"Where were you, when all of this happened?" I asked, sounding a bit more accusatory than I wanted to. He looked like my words stung a bit but he shrugged it off. "Trying to stay alive," he said.

"Didn't you try to help at all?" I asked.

"Of course I did, Jade. But I'm not the reason you're out here," he said.

"You're right. You aren't the reason I'm out here," I said, standing. I started walking back towards camp. When i got back, everyone was moving to their tents to go to bed. I, on the other hand, went into the Ark. I went to Anya's cell. I needed a few things answered, and I needed them answered now. She sat up with an expression of pure shock. Then it twisted into a bit of amusement. "Well, well, well," she said. "Look what the cat dragged in."

"Shut up unless I tell you to speak, or I'll slit your throat. Right here, right now," I said. She stiffened and I sat opposite her a few feet. I crossed my legs in front of me. "I need to know…my mother…who was she?"

"My sister was hard to understand," she said.

"What was her name?" I asked.

"Mia Crystal," she said.

"Did she name Yachara and I before you killed her?" I asked.

"No. She did have a name in mind, though," she said.

"What was it?" I asked.

"Calypso. With a K instead of a C," she said.

"Who'd she name that?" I asked.

"You. You were born first and she was only expecting one child. Imagine both of our surprise when another one came," she said. I heard a sound from outside and stood. I left her there without another word. I exited the Ark, to find that Lincoln was back with warriors from the coast. I saw a familiar face among them. "Luna?" I asked, walking toward her. She noticed me and smiled brightly. "Jade!" She rushed to me and wrapped her arms around me in a hug. "It's so good to see you," she said. "How have you been?"

"I've been better," I replied, stepping back. I stayed with Luna when I went to the coast. She's always been a good friend to me. I met her when Lincoln took me on a trip to the coast, years ago. Her brown hair is braided down her back and a bow is in her hands. Her arrow feathers are visible over her left shoulder. She wore leathers, mostly, but she also wore a jacket made of cotton. I glanced around at the other warriors. I only recognized three. All men. Luna was the only female in the group. "You look saddened," Luna said, looking at me with a furrowed brow.

"Yeah…we were raided earlier this morning," I said. Lincoln walked over to me. "You okay?" he asked. I nodded and he walked toward the bulk of camp, along with the other warriors. There looked to be only about twelve men. Total. We'd need more people if we were to fight the Mountain Men, should they attack again. I led Luna to the group at camp and then called a meeting. The usual group gathered in the Ark. "We need more people. And I think I know how to get them," I said.

"How?" Yachara asked.

"I have friends in low places that could get us another dozen men," I said.

"From where? It's not like the Grounders want anything to do with us," Adonis said.

"You'll just have to trust me. And give twenty-four hours to get them," I said.

"What if we don't have twenty-four hours, Jade? Then what?" Adonis asked.

"Then suck it up before I cut you open," I hissed. Everyone kind of glanced at Yachara, expecting her to say something to me, calm me down. The truth of the matter is that we need more people and I'm the one who can get them. If they want to be pansies, then fine, let them be pansies. But I'm going to get things done with or without them. "I'm going. I'll be back tomorrow," I said, walking out the door. I walk to the open clearing and pull out my whistle. "Jade, wait," I sighed and rolled my eyes. Dakota galloped into the clearing and skidded to a stop near me. "Where are you going?"

I swung myself up onto Dakota's saddle. Jasper stood a few feet away, waiting for an answer. "To get more reinforcements," I said. I urged Dakota on and we headed into the trees, all the way across the clearing. We ran most of the way so it didn't take long to get to the cache of Tree Houses. I pulled Dakota to a stop near the watch tree and quickly slid off. Gazelle walked over from some berry bushels. "Jade? What are you doing here? Is everything okay?" all of her questions flooded out in less than a minute.

"Everything is…sort of fine. Look, I need some muscle. As many guys as possible. Can you help me?" She thought about it a minute. Most likely only thinking of how to get the guys, not if to agree to it or not. "I think so," she said. "Enzo!" She walked to the base of the watch tree and shouted up it. "Enzo! We have a customer!" A second later, Enzo came sliding down the tree. He saw me and smiled. "Let me guess…you're starting another war with the Western Clans? Am I right?" he said, walking over. He stopped a few feet from me. "No," I said. "The Mountain Men."

He swallowed hard and looked and Gazelle. "You don't say," he said, looking back at me nervously. "What do you need?"

"Men. And a lot of them," I said.

"I'll see what I can do. But I'm not promising any miracles," he said.

"Thank you," I said. He nodded and hurried back up to the Tree Houses. Then both Enzo and Yanis came down to the ground, both wearing satchels, and used whistles to signal for their horses. Two brown horses came running out of the trees and stopped at Enzo and Yanis. They mounted their horses and a waved a goodbye. Then they trotted off into the distant trees. I sat with Dakota at the base of the watch tree until morning. Then, finally, Enzo and Yanis came back. They walked their horses toward the tree, followed by a large group of men.

I quickly stood and met them half way. "Jade, this is Nahmen. He's the leader," Enzo said, gesturing to a tall, burly man a few feet from him. Nahmen. The name sounds familiar. Nahmen must be at least six and a half feet tall, with brood shoulders and a long beard to act as an opposite to his bald head. He reminds me of my adoptive father, Zortehn, leader of the Reapers. He walks forward to stand in front of me. He dips his chin briefly, a sign of greeting in most South-Western Clans. "You have grown since our last meeting," he said.

"We've met?" I asked.

"Yes. Many years ago. As I understand it, you're having some issues with the Mountain Men," he said.

"It's a little bit more than an issue. It's a war," I said.

"My men and I are ready and at your disposal," he said.

"Thank you. Our camp is just that way," I said, pointing in the direction of camp. He nodded and I mounted Dakota. I waved thanks to Gazelle, Enzo, and Yanis. They smiled and waved back. "Kick their a-" Gazelle elbowed Yanis and he winced. "Butts." I sighed and shook my head. I urged Dakota on and we started heading back to camp. On the way back, my mind wondered.

It wondered many miles away to Bellamy. I wondered what they were doing to him. Was he okay? Were they brainwashing him? Were they beating him to get at me? A part of me wished Yachara would've turned herself over. I'm probably a horrible person for saying so, but the thought did flash across my mind. I shook my head at myself and tried not to think about it. We finally arrived back at camp, just after sunset. They must have put the finishing touches on the wall while I was gone. There's now a gate as tall as the fence.

I slid off of Dakota and led him to the gate. Two kids were standing just inside, watching. They recognized me and opened the gate. I walked in, with a large number of men following. The gate closed behind us all. Yachara and Caleb walked up to me and looked at the people I'd brought with me. "I think they'll do," Caleb said.

The words weren't much but they made me think of back when I hated Bellamy. Finn had said some of the same words, only about me. If only someone could invent a time machine. Then I could go back in time and change it. But, until then, I can't. I just have to go along with this and somehow figure out a way to get Bellamy back. Whether he'll be in one piece or not, I have no idea.


	21. 39 Bellamy Dies In The End

After Caleb filled me in on what happened while I was away, I went to the tent I shared with Yachara. Apparently everyone is preparing for a war. I'll admit I was a bit of a problem child, but I never actually took part in any wars. I've fought to the death several times, though. And they always end the same—I come out alive. I stepped into the tent and grabbed my pack. I opened the flap and pulled out my gun. I slid it in my belt at my lower back and then pulled out my poison laced knife.

I attached it's sheath to my hip and then left to find Nahmen. I found him with all forty-five of his people, near the Ark. I noticed Jasper feverishly opening small darts and draining them of their liquid. I didn't bother asking what absurd thing Yachara had him doing. Yachara sped by, passing out guns to anyone she saw. Nahmen's men wouldn't take them. "We don't trust these sorts of things to an object with little reliability," Nahmen said. Yachara let that fly through one ear and out the other, and then headed to the next person.

While Yachara briefed everyone on how to use the gun in their hands, I briefed Nahmen and his men on what to expect. "Most likely there will be a lot of gun fire. Use any shelter you can to get close to them. I'm not going to promise that half of you will survive this, so if any of you would like to go home, do it now," I said. No one budged, so I nodded. "Okay then. To your positions."

All the men filed out the gate and disappeared into the trees. They are last resort. If the Mountain Men make it past our first attack, then Nahmen's men are to finish it. My orders, not Yachara's. I don't care what she says. These people need to die. I hear Yachara finishing up her speech. Then a long string of explosions blare from outside the gate. I saw Yachara then run to the Ark, and I followed. "How's it coming?" Yachara asked Jasper.

"Almost done," he replied, working as fast as possible. "Done!" Yachara gave me a tranquilizer gun filled with a red liquid called MHP 2.0. Then I split. I ran outside the gate and into the trees. I stopped running to survey the area, find out who was where. Suddenly a gun shot rang out and a small hole appeared in the tree beside me, next to my head. I quickly dodged, rolling forward onto the ground to get behind a tree. Three more shots rang out as I rolled, all missing me. I stood while I heard a repetitive clicking sound. Out of ammo.

I quickly rounded the tree behind me and aimed my dart gun. I saw who I was aiming at just before the gun was knocked from my hands and a fist connected with my jaw—it was Bellamy. I spun slightly and my head hit the tree beside me. I quickly slid to the ground and swung my leg out, knocking him to the ground. I pulled myself up to stand and started running. Drawing him out of the trees. I made it to just past the tree line before he caught up with me. He tackled me to the ground and wrestled his way on top of me.

He pinned me. "Bellamy! Bellamy, it's me, Jade!" I said, urgently. He wrapped his fingers around my neck, squeezing tightly. My words become silent pleas. My lungs burned, screaming for oxygen. Tears streamed down my face while I pleaded with him, begging him to remember. His expression was blank. I could barely hear myself. Suddenly a dart appeared in his arm and he fell still. I looked away for a second and saw Yachara, several feet away, holding a dart gun.

Bellamy let go of my neck and I sucked in a breath. His eyes flooded with recognition and he cupped my face with his hands. "Jade…" he said. I nodded feverishly. I couldn't help but smile. I sent a silent thank you in Yachara's direction. She turned away and I turned my attention back on Bellamy. All I could do was look at him. I hadn't seen him for so long and then he attacked me and then he remembered me…it's quite a confusing tale to comprehend. He opened his mouth to speak and then froze as a gun shot rang out, loud and extremely close.

A hole, becoming redder and redder by the second, appeared in his chest. He collapsed to the side of me and I was frozen for all of about two seconds before quickly moving. I got upright, on my knees, and put pressure on the wound. "Bellamy, hang in there, okay? Just stay with me," I said. My voice was a winded rasp. I hardly understood myself. He was about to lose consciousness. He mouthed, "I love you" as his eyes fluttered a bit. Tears burned my eyes. "I love you, too," I said. "Stay with me, please, open your eyes, no…."

His eyes closed and with my hands pressed to his chest, I could feel when his heart stopped beating. And I broke. "No! No, Bellamy, open your eyes! Come on, please, just…please….stay with me…." My attempts grew weaker and weaker as I sat in my own dome of silence. I kept pressure on the wound, thinking maybe he wasn't really dead. I leaned down and placed a shaky kiss to his forehead and then rested my forehead on the side of his chest not covered in blood. I stayed there, right there, in that position, until hours had gone by. "Jade…"

I heard my name, but ignored the urge to see who voiced it. I wanted to stay with Bellamy for as long as I could. I won't leave him again. _Never again_. "…Jade…" I turned my head enough just to see who it was. It was Lincoln. He was knelt beside me. He pulled me from Bellamy's now slightly cold body and wrapped his arms around me. I couldn't move, couldn't think, couldn't _breathe_. I was frozen. "I'm so sorry," Lincoln said. I barely heard him at all. I looked down at my hands. They were shaking, trembling, covered in blood. Bellamy's blood.

"Who did it? Who shot him?" I asked, numbly. Lincoln tensed, most likely thinking if it's a good idea to tell me. Then he said, stiffly, "Alex." I straightened. Alex? Why would Alex shoot Bellamy? "He turned on us," Lincoln continued. "But he's dead now. Adonis shot him." I pulled from Lincoln's grasp, anger boiling in my stomach, and I stood. I noticed a group of people standing near the gate, including: Adonis, Caleb, Yachara, Jasper, Clarke, and Finn. I started walking in that direction, walking around the bodies on the ground. Lincoln grabbed me and I ripped myself from him, quickening my pace. "Jade, no!"

I marched over to the group and pulled out my knife. I headed for Adonis. Caleb and Finn saw me before I got to him. They grabbed me on both sides and everyone in the group stared at me, shock etched all over their faces. I stared at Adonis. "How could you not know he was a traitor?" I hissed. "He was your twin! You could be a traitor, too!"

"Jade, stop!" Lincoln grabbed me from Caleb and Finn, but both guys stayed close. Lincoln wrapped his arms around me tightly but I tried to wriggle my way out of his grip. "Jade, stop. Jade, that's enough!" I stopped moving. My legs turned to jelly and Lincoln held onto me as I collapsed to my knees. I broke down sobbing, clinging to Lincoln. My whole body ached with a dull throbbing. I could hardly breathe because I was crying so hard.

In all my life time, I have never cried so much as I did right then. I had Bellamy back for a few seconds, and then he was gone forever. There were so many things I meant to say to him. And now I never will. All because of my traitor half-brother. My half-brother killed my boyfriend. Another thing that doesn't sound quite right. I can't remember when I passed out, but I did. I know because I woke up in my tent, during the day. I don't want to move. I don't want to breathe. I don't want to live. Not anymore.

I lay there, motionless, until I hear a baby crying. I shoot upright. A baby? Where'd a baby come from? I quickly get up and pull on my jacket and boots. I hurry outside the tent and follow the cries to inside the Ark. Yachara was sitting on a crate, holding a crying baby. She and Caleb were trying to figure out a way to make it stop fussing. But it wouldn't. "Whose baby is that?" I asked. They both looked at me with wide eyes. "Anya's," Caleb said. I slowly walked over and took the baby from Yachara. "You're doing it wrong," I said. I held the baby just so, tilting it a bit, like my mother taught me.

Among healing, my Reaper mother was also a mid-wife. The baby quickly stopped crying and stared up at me with round, piercingly blue eyes. I bounced it lightly. "I never thought that thing would stop screaming," Caleb said. "How'd you do that so fast?"

"My adoptive mother was a mid-wife. She taught me all about taking care of infants," I said. I looked down at the bundle of baby in my arms. It smiled at me while making a typical baby noise. I don't know what it was, but something about holding my half-sister/cousin made me feel…I can't explain it. I can't even begin to comprehend it. But it was a good feeling. Maybe all hope isn't lost for us. At least…not yet. Us as a whole maybe. But there's nothing left for me.

I gave the baby to Caleb and he mumbled something about getting some air as he slipped outside. I looked at Yachara and she looked at me, her eyes full of sorrow. "Jade…"

"Don't. I really can't take you saying anything right now," I said. I turned and left the Ark. The second last person on this earth I wanted to talk to happened to be the person I bumped into walking out—Octavia. It was awkward, standing there, both of us not saying anything. We'd both lost someone we loved. But I felt like I was the one who pulled the trigger. I didn't see it coming, I wasn't paying attention. I could have saved him, but I didn't. And I think she knows that. But, instead of lashing out at me, she wrapped her arms around me in a hug.

I hugged her back. "Octavia, I'm so sorry," I said.

"Don't say you're sorry. You lost him, too," she said. We parted and she walked into the Ark behind me. I took a shaky breath and decided to take a walk. I needed to be alone. Everything and everyone here reminds me of him and it feels like a thousand knives in my chest. I walked far. I don't know exactly how far, but it was far past Yachara's tree house. A spot where two willow trees bent over to cover a special place where a person I once called brother was buried. We weren't like normal siblings. Far from it.

But he was one of the only people I could count on when living with the Reapers. His name was Ryker. I sat in front of the grown over mound in which underneath his body lay. He died while I was away, at the coast. Lincoln sent a letter to Luna, addressed to me, telling me the bad news. He'd said that Ryker was killed by the Grounders when the Grounders were trying to kill the 100. He'd also sent a map to his burial site.

I crossed my legs in front of me. "You were right. I was only hurt by leaving," I said, as if he could hear me. "I lost everything. I think it's time I move on, start over somewhere else. I'll visit. I promise. But I need to get away. I'm sorry it took so long to get my butt over here. I was a bit busy. But I came to say goodbye."

I stood and dusted off my pants. "Goodbye, brother." I turned and headed back to camp. I sat in my tent, writing my goodbye note. I included a paragraph for everyone. Then I folded it and left it on Yachara's sleeping bag. I packed my things in my pack and slung it over my shoulder. I tied my sleeping bag to Dakota's saddle, once in the tree line. I pulled myself up, onto the saddle, and held onto his reins. He dipped his head and snorted. I patted his neck and took one last look at camp. I urged Dakota on and we galloped into the trees.


End file.
